Chapter 22
Vaughn stared at Dixon in disbelief. "So that's it. Your gonna shoot her down, just like that?" Dixon didn't answer, but the look in his eyes gave Vaughn the answer to his question. Sydney looked at Dixon. He had always been such a good friend to her, but she hated him for putting Michael through this.
"When was the last time you saw your wife Agent Vaughn?" Dixon asked. He knew what it was like to lose you're the woman you love. It had happened to him when Sloane had Diane killed. He couldn't help but sympathise with Vaughn. First he lost Sydney, the love of his life, and now Lauren was about to be taken away. Even though she wasn't a part of Michael's life anymore, Dixon knew that losing her would still effect Michael.
Vaughn thought back to the last time that he had seen her. "I guess it was about a month after we were released from quarantine, just before she went back to NSC."
"So you had no idea about her plans?" Dixon felt terrible for accusing him like this, but he had to know the truth.
"What? How could you say that? Of course I didn't know about her plans. And even if I did, I would have tried to stop her!" Vaughn rubbed his temples, trying to make the headache, which was surfacing, to go away. The room fell silent.
"What happens now?" She asked staring coldly at Dixon. She knew that it wasn't his fault, but she couldn't help but feel slightly angry towards him.
"We have a team leaving in a couple of hours. They are going to Rome, which is where we believe they are staying. The team's main goal is to capture Sark and Reed, but if they resist capture, or try to fight back in any way, then the team has orders to shoot. I'm sorry Agent Vaughn..." Dixon sighed. "There's nothing more that we can do."
Vaughn glanced over at Sydney. She didn't deserve to be going through all of this. He had to put a stop to this now. Lauren had caused Sydney enough pain, he had to make sure that she would no longer be around to cause anymore. He walked over to Dixon, who was sitting behind his desk. "I want to be on that team!" He stated. Sydney couldn't believe what she was hearing. She stood up to protest.
"No, Sydney. Don't try and stop me. This is something which I've got to do." Vaughn turned his attention back to Dixon. "So, am I on the team?" Dixon could tell that he was determined.
"Agent Vaughn, I don't think that you going to Rome would help the mission. You are too emotionally attached to this." Dixon showed no signs of backing down. Vaughn didn't like the answer, which he received. He banged his fists down on the desk, "I'll ask again. Am I on the team?" Dixon looked down at his desk. If it had been any other Agent who was behaving like this, he probably would have taken procedures to have him disciplined. But he knew that what Vaughn was going through was tough, and he also didn't think that it would help Sydney to have the man she loved punished. She had been through enough already, he didn't want to make it any harder on her.
"Why do you want to be a part of this team?" Dixon questioned. He already knew the answer, but he needed to hear it.
"Why do you think? I'm probably the cause of all of this. If I hadn't walked out on her she would probably still be here doing her job. I need to go and stop her, and if I have to shoot her down, then so be it." Sydney felt terrible that Vaughn was blaming himself. After all the breakdown of his marriage was partially her fault too.
Dixon sat in silence for a minute, considering Vaughn's answer. Finally he gave in. "Ok, Agent Vaughn, you can go, but only on the grounds that you do not jeopardise this operation. Are we understood?" Vaughn nodded. Dixon took out some folders, signalling that it was time for them to leave him to get on with his work. But Sydney walked over to his desk. "Dixon, could I have permission to be on the team also please?" She looked at Vaughn, who seemed shocked at her request. Dixon looked up from his work.
"Look I know you're gonna say that I'm too involved with this..." She began pleading with him. "But I'm a good agent, I know how to do this job properly. I want to make sure that we get Lauren and Sark for good."
Vaughn couldn't believe just how lucky he was. He was in love with the most perfect woman, who would do anything for him. He looked at Dixon hoping that he would agree. "Very well Sydney. Just make sure we end up with results!" Sydney smiled, and then her and Vaughn left the room, ready for the mission ahead of them.
Vaughn stared at Dixon in disbelief. "So that's it. Your gonna shoot her down, just like that?" Dixon didn't answer, but the look in his eyes gave Vaughn the answer to his question. Sydney looked at Dixon. He had always been such a good friend to her, but she hated him for putting Michael through this.
"When was the last time you saw your wife Agent Vaughn?" Dixon asked. He knew what it was like to lose you're the woman you love. It had happened to him when Sloane had Diane killed. He couldn't help but sympathise with Vaughn. First he lost Sydney, the love of his life, and now Lauren was about to be taken away. Even though she wasn't a part of Michael's life anymore, Dixon knew that losing her would still effect Michael.
Vaughn thought back to the last time that he had seen her. "I guess it was about a month after we were released from quarantine, just before she went back to NSC."
"So you had no idea about her plans?" Dixon felt terrible for accusing him like this, but he had to know the truth.
"What? How could you say that? Of course I didn't know about her plans. And even if I did, I would have tried to stop her!" Vaughn rubbed his temples, trying to make the headache, which was surfacing, to go away. The room fell silent.
"What happens now?" She asked staring coldly at Dixon. She knew that it wasn't his fault, but she couldn't help but feel slightly angry towards him.
"We have a team leaving in a couple of hours. They are going to Rome, which is where we believe they are staying. The team's main goal is to capture Sark and Reed, but if they resist capture, or try to fight back in any way, then the team has orders to shoot. I'm sorry Agent Vaughn..." Dixon sighed. "There's nothing more that we can do."
Vaughn glanced over at Sydney. She didn't deserve to be going through all of this. He had to put a stop to this now. Lauren had caused Sydney enough pain, he had to make sure that she would no longer be around to cause anymore. He walked over to Dixon, who was sitting behind his desk. "I want to be on that team!" He stated. Sydney couldn't believe what she was hearing. She stood up to protest.
"No, Sydney. Don't try and stop me. This is something which I've got to do." Vaughn turned his attention back to Dixon. "So, am I on the team?" Dixon could tell that he was determined.
"Agent Vaughn, I don't think that you going to Rome would help the mission. You are too emotionally attached to this." Dixon showed no signs of backing down. Vaughn didn't like the answer, which he received. He banged his fists down on the desk, "I'll ask again. Am I on the team?" Dixon looked down at his desk. If it had been any other Agent who was behaving like this, he probably would have taken procedures to have him disciplined. But he knew that what Vaughn was going through was tough, and he also didn't think that it would help Sydney to have the man she loved punished. She had been through enough already, he didn't want to make it any harder on her.
"Why do you want to be a part of this team?" Dixon questioned. He already knew the answer, but he needed to hear it.
"Why do you think? I'm probably the cause of all of this. If I hadn't walked out on her she would probably still be here doing her job. I need to go and stop her, and if I have to shoot her down, then so be it." Sydney felt terrible that Vaughn was blaming himself. After all the breakdown of his marriage was partially her fault too.
Dixon sat in silence for a minute, considering Vaughn's answer. Finally he gave in. "Ok, Agent Vaughn, you can go, but only on the grounds that you do not jeopardise this operation. Are we understood?" Vaughn nodded. Dixon took out some folders, signalling that it was time for them to leave him to get on with his work. But Sydney walked over to his desk. "Dixon, could I have permission to be on the team also please?" She looked at Vaughn, who seemed shocked at her request. Dixon looked up from his work.
"Look I know you're gonna say that I'm too involved with this..." She began pleading with him. "But I'm a good agent, I know how to do this job properly. I want to make sure that we get Lauren and Sark for good."
Vaughn couldn't believe just how lucky he was. He was in love with the most perfect woman, who would do anything for him. He looked at Dixon hoping that he would agree. "Very well Sydney. Just make sure we end up with results!" Sydney smiled, and then her and Vaughn left the room, ready for the mission ahead of them.