Favoured Friends
Part 33/?
Summary: An invitation to the National Egyptology Conference quickly becomes deadly race for the mythic Ichriem against an old rival of Sydney's - the assassin known only as 'the Viper'.
Note: This is a round robin originally posted at the Relic Hunter Yahoo Group. Although I'm posting it, I did not write the entire thing. This part was written by SassyJ ( sassyjluk@yahoo.com )
Also, I have Support Services. That means that, if you want, you can put me on Author Alert and receive notice when other stories of mine are posted, even if you haven't paid yourself.
Posted: Wednesday, July 9, 2003
The Viper straightened up, enough of this speculation, he needed to move now. He viewed his victim dispassionately, reached over to the table and picked up the syringe. He leaned over the agent, the blue eyes blazed defiance at him, as he plunged the needle into Lloyd's upper arm.
Derek Lloyd's entire body convulsed as the firestorm ripped through his veins, his body arched and he rose a full ten inches off the dusty bed despite the restraints. The Viper smiled, an interesting new twist, the scream torn from Lloyd's agony was a name. Her name. Then he frowned as the agent began to choke; quickly the Viper sliced through the ropes and flipped the agent onto his front, holding his head over the edge of the bed. He needed Lloyd alive for the time being.
Lloyd retched miserably, finally satisfied that he was done the Viper lashed his wrists tightly into the small of his back, crossing them and fastening the knots high so that the agent couldn't hope to reach anything to free himself. For a second he considered tying the man's legs to the bed, but the limpness of the body convinced him that it was unnecessary. He left.
Sydney curled the note between her fingertips. She'd read it through four times before her befuddled brain could grasp what it was saying. The Viper had Lloyd, the Viper wanted Ichriem, Lloyd for Ichriem, simple. Except it wasn't simple, she didn't have Ichriem. That the agent would suffer more if she prevaricated or delayed the Viper had made clear.
Syd tried to tell herself that she didn't care. Lloyd knew what he was getting into, he was a government agent, so he'd lost this one. The little voice in the back of her brain told her otherwise. The sinister words of the note had left their indelible impression, she could almost feel the pain he was suffering. But you have Nigel and Claudia, and Preston to consider, she tried to repress the memory of blue eyes blazing into hers, the feel of his lips on her mouth. She screwed the note tightly into her hand.
Nigel watched her closely. In his mind's eye, he was reliving the kiss between Sydney and Lloyd; Sydney had read the note out loud, and Nigel understood more than she had intended him to. The agent meant more to her than she either knew or was willing to admit. Nigel squashed his own jealousy, that wasn't important now. He disliked and distrusted Lloyd, but he wasn't just going to stand by and watch Sydney suffer or leave the agent to die.
"Sydney, we have no choice, we have to give the Viper what he wants." Having made his decision, Nigel didn't waste time.
She looked at him impatiently, but Nigel could see the stress and fear, "Nigel, we don't have Ichriem, even if we did, how long do you think the Viper would let Derek live once he has it?"
Nigel fought his own jealousy, just when had the agent become "Derek"? "Sydney, we have the clues, we can find it." He cajoled her, "Isn't it worth the risk, for Ichriem? To save Lloyd's life?" He couldn't bring himself to use the agent's first name.
Sydney hovered in an agony of indecision, which was not her style. Nigel hated seeing it, and the pain that she was holding in, her lovely face was white and she shifted restlessly.
Nigel continued with his more forceful role, he was the one taking the decisions now, despite the desperate situation a tiny thrill swept through the edge of his consciousness, this was the first time he'd felt on an equal footing with his mentor and friend. For the first time, their contributions were going to be equal. He held out his hand, a second's hesitation and Sydney clasped his fingers. They were in this together.
Lloyd gradually came to, he was alone, the sixth sense that made him a tough and reliable agent was functioning, just. He tried an experimental movement. Pain was sweeping through his entire body, from his split and bruised lips to his swollen, bleeding wrists lashed so cruelly tight behind his back. He had one thought only, Sydney, his own life was forfeit, but he could still save her. He managed to push himself off the bed, falling heavily to the floor, the jolt barely forced a moan from him, his suffering was already so great. A tremendous effort of will, he dragged himself to his feet. The room was spinning wildly. He had to get out.
He staggered around, trying to find some way of freeing his hands, finally finding a jagged piece of glass. He leant against the wall trying to get his breath and find the strength to cut through the ropes binding his wrists. The thought of Sydney drove him on. With that iron determination he used to focus on what he needed to do, in spite of who gets in the way, Lloyd turned round, he managed to rest his bound wrists on the glass at the fourth attempt he reeled slightly, forcing himself to hold on, he began to saw at the ropes.
Ignoring the pain from the glass cutting into his skin, ignoring the damage he was doing to himself, he focussed everything onto Sydney. He didn't realise at first when the ropes began part, then his arms dropped weakly to his sides and he staggered. His arms were a mess, wounds in the backs of his hands, his wrists, deep cuts bleeding profusely from his arms, almost up to his elbows. Despite the pain, Lloyd held on, stumbling towards the door. The Viper must have been distracted, or didn't see me as any threat, the door was unlocked. Lloyd didn't wait to thank him for his oversight, he staggered out into the night.
Sydney poured over the few scraps of information that she had. Concentrating on the documents, she finished reading and turned to Claudia.
"Claudia, we need tickets to Morocco, get on the phone and see if you can come up with four tickets on a plane leaving in the next 24 hours."
Claudia was going to say something, caught sight of Sydney's face and left to do her bidding without a word. The agony in Sydney's eyes
had a profound effect on the little blonde.
Nigel brought a coffee to her. Sydney hadn't paused in five hours, she was exhausted and in pain, so Nigel was taking care of her.
"Drink this." He held out the coffee cup to her. Sydney took it gratefully, grateful too for his strength and understanding. Somehow in the last few hours their roles were reversed and she was coming to realise that Nigel was so much more than her assistant now, he'd come of age in so many ways. Her smile was genuine affection and love.
Nigel brightened slightly. He was even starting to feel a bit more magnanimous to the missing agent. He picked up his own coffee and set about the task of distracting Sydney a little more. She needed the rest.
He'd barely settled into his seat, when there was a faint scratchy knock at the door. Instantly on edge, they looked at each other. Warily, Nigel got to his feet and walked over to the door, Sydney just behind him. Cautiously he reached out for the doorknob, nerves zinging, he glanced back at Sydney, the pain and tension was back in her face, cursing to himself Nigel opened the door.
Derek Lloyd crumpled into Nigel's arms. The agent's weight dragged them both to the floor. Nigel couldn't contain his gasp of shock at the man's condition.
Sydney was on her knees, "Derek?" No response, gently she and Nigel lifted him onto his back, the throbbing from Sydney's healing wound beat in time with the hammering of her heart as she sought a pulse. The condition of his arms made her want to weep, the flesh of his wrists so torn and swollen, she was having trouble finding a pulse. Finally she located it, it was thready, irregular and very weak. Nigel eased out from under the agent and reached for the phone.
Sydney cradled the brutally beaten agent in her arms and prayed for this nightmare to end. Right then she was prepared to hand Ichriem to the Viper, if he would just leave them alone. Knowing that this would never happen.
End Part Thirty-Three