Chapter Five
The warehouse Kendall had chosen to meet was set in the shadows. To the inexperienced, the sight of the massive and dark building would cause them to think it a wrong address and leave. But to the two agents who knew what they were doing (for the most part) and were expecting, this was exactly the right address and a nearly perfect place to do business.
The father/daughter pair walked up to the building. Luke lay asleep in Sydney's arms, snugly wrapped in a blanket. The door on the side of the building that they used as an entrance creaked as Jack pulled it open.
After walking through a few more doors, they found Kendall in a dimly lit room. He was sitting on a crate, leaning against a wall. He stood once he saw Sydney and Jack enter. "Jack," he nodded to the man, then to Sydney. "Sydney. How is the baby?"
"He's fine. Tired, but he's doing really well." Sydney smiled at Kendall, who gave her a half-smile in return as he peered at the small bundle.
"Here is everything you need to know before you go into the mansion in Venice," Kendall began his explanation as he handed Jack an envelope. "The guard team changes every 24 hours, so I'm afraid that's as much time I can give you. Currently there is a team of five there. The two of you will have to convince them you're partners were detained and get them to leave. After they're gone, you can look through the house.
"When you return, you will have to give a full report. There's no way around that."
Jack looked to Sydney when Kendall paused, who nodded in acceptance.
"Your flight leaves in an hour. Your aliases, tickets, and credentials are all in the envelope. If you need anything, contact me and I'll do my best."
After signaling his thanks with a nod, Jack turned to leave with Sydney following closely behind.
"And Sydney," Kendall called causing both Bristows to turn, "good luck."
Sydney smiled then turned to leave, her longing for memories and the truth intensifying,
It didn't take Sydney very long to convince the team at the house to leave. The five agents appears tired, agitated, and eager to return to their normal jobs. Only one agent, a female with bright green eyes that seemed to be constantly alert questioned Sydney's remarks, and she was satisfied after hearing more to the fabricated story.
Once the team had signed out and left, Jack began to unload. He carried their belongings to two small rooms near the doorway. Sydney sat Luke down on a blanket on the floor and began to explore the house.
She walked upstairs first. Along the walls were paintings that relaxed her. There were several rooms she peered into—an office, nursery, bedroom, bathroom, library and a few guest rooms.
Sydney longed to continue the look through the rest of the house. However, exhaustion swept over her. She yawned as she went back downstairs. Picking up Luke, she went into the room she was to sleep in. After situating Luke and herself, Sydney soon fell asleep.
"I'm sorry, Sydney..."
A whispered voice plead forgiveness. Sydney slowly opened her eyes—just in tine to see a dark shadow flee to the hallway. She could hear faint footsteps outside the room.
Sydney looked over to the spot where Luke laid. The baby was fast asleep, his small chest gently rising and falling as he breathed. After rearranging the pillows around him, Sydney kissed his forehead.
The dark hallway was empty when she emerged from the room. Sydney decided to go upstairs. She entered a room at random. It was an office with a dark wooden desk buried under papers and a small computer sitting in it's corner. Opposite it was bookcase after bookcase—a good sized library filled with a variety of books.
Sydney browsed through the shelves, quickly forgetting about the person she knew had been in her room. As she continued to look around, she found another shelf. This one however, was different the rest. Photo albums and framed pictures filled it's wooden boards. After taking a closer look, Sydney longed for the memories the photographs held. Some were from her wedding day. These were filled with joyful faces—evidence of a happier time. Some were from Luke's birth. In those pictures, Sydney could see sincere love and utter joy in Sark's eyes, as well as in her own. Other photos were family portraits, Luke, Sark and herself at random places and of them when they first bought their home.
Sydney took a few pictures from one of the albums. As she was doing so, she heard movement coming from back in the library. She went to investigate as quickly as she could. But when she arrived, no one was there.
She walked back to the desk and sat down, contemplating the events since her arrival at the house. Soon her suspicion grew. Sark was in the house. He had to be. She could feel him.
Quickly, she grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. She jotted down only two words—they were all she needed to write—'Help me.' Sydney looked around the desk and eventually found a roll of tape. She walked back to where the noise had come from, and taped the sign to one of the bookshelves.
Sydney went back downstairs to check on Luke. She found him still asleep, and she sat down on the edge of the bed, content in watching her baby sleep. Then, after awhile, Sydney longed to check and see if Sark had seen her note. Quietly, she left Luke again and went back to the office.
She pulled the paper off the bookcase. He had found it and left a reply: 'What do you need?' After thinking for a minute, she summed up her answer by writing: 'Answers.' She grabbed a book off the shelf and sat down to read. Soon though, her eyelids grew heavy and she fell asleep.
There was someone else in the room. She could feel it. Sydney opened her eyes and he was there. Sark was standing next to her, reading the note she had left.
He looked down and saw Sydney's chocolate eyes looking at him. Before either of them said a word, Sark dropped the paper and pulled out some books that lined a wall. On the wall was a button. He pressed it twice, causing the bookshelf to reveal a hidden exit. Sark rushed in, then everything went back into place.
Sydney quickly repeated Sark's actions and entered the exit. She followed a long hallway—not seeing any trace of her husband. She began to walk faster and soon found herself in a large garden.
Her eyes scanned the area for any sign of the man she was searching for. She found him, heading for a small bridge that had been built over a pond. She got closer than lost track of him.
"Sark!" She called out to him, hoping the words would reach him through the darkness. "Please. Please, just talk to me for a minute!"
Sydney continued to make her way to the bridge as rain began to fall. Walking faster, she finally made it to the bridge. And there he stood.
At the other end of the bridge Sark waited, the large raindrops beginning to soak his clothes. Seeing him, Sydney walked across the bridge to his side and stood in front of her husband. Before she thought about what she was doing, she found herself kissing him as her arms wrapped around his neck.
The warehouse Kendall had chosen to meet was set in the shadows. To the inexperienced, the sight of the massive and dark building would cause them to think it a wrong address and leave. But to the two agents who knew what they were doing (for the most part) and were expecting, this was exactly the right address and a nearly perfect place to do business.
The father/daughter pair walked up to the building. Luke lay asleep in Sydney's arms, snugly wrapped in a blanket. The door on the side of the building that they used as an entrance creaked as Jack pulled it open.
After walking through a few more doors, they found Kendall in a dimly lit room. He was sitting on a crate, leaning against a wall. He stood once he saw Sydney and Jack enter. "Jack," he nodded to the man, then to Sydney. "Sydney. How is the baby?"
"He's fine. Tired, but he's doing really well." Sydney smiled at Kendall, who gave her a half-smile in return as he peered at the small bundle.
"Here is everything you need to know before you go into the mansion in Venice," Kendall began his explanation as he handed Jack an envelope. "The guard team changes every 24 hours, so I'm afraid that's as much time I can give you. Currently there is a team of five there. The two of you will have to convince them you're partners were detained and get them to leave. After they're gone, you can look through the house.
"When you return, you will have to give a full report. There's no way around that."
Jack looked to Sydney when Kendall paused, who nodded in acceptance.
"Your flight leaves in an hour. Your aliases, tickets, and credentials are all in the envelope. If you need anything, contact me and I'll do my best."
After signaling his thanks with a nod, Jack turned to leave with Sydney following closely behind.
"And Sydney," Kendall called causing both Bristows to turn, "good luck."
Sydney smiled then turned to leave, her longing for memories and the truth intensifying,
It didn't take Sydney very long to convince the team at the house to leave. The five agents appears tired, agitated, and eager to return to their normal jobs. Only one agent, a female with bright green eyes that seemed to be constantly alert questioned Sydney's remarks, and she was satisfied after hearing more to the fabricated story.
Once the team had signed out and left, Jack began to unload. He carried their belongings to two small rooms near the doorway. Sydney sat Luke down on a blanket on the floor and began to explore the house.
She walked upstairs first. Along the walls were paintings that relaxed her. There were several rooms she peered into—an office, nursery, bedroom, bathroom, library and a few guest rooms.
Sydney longed to continue the look through the rest of the house. However, exhaustion swept over her. She yawned as she went back downstairs. Picking up Luke, she went into the room she was to sleep in. After situating Luke and herself, Sydney soon fell asleep.
"I'm sorry, Sydney..."
A whispered voice plead forgiveness. Sydney slowly opened her eyes—just in tine to see a dark shadow flee to the hallway. She could hear faint footsteps outside the room.
Sydney looked over to the spot where Luke laid. The baby was fast asleep, his small chest gently rising and falling as he breathed. After rearranging the pillows around him, Sydney kissed his forehead.
The dark hallway was empty when she emerged from the room. Sydney decided to go upstairs. She entered a room at random. It was an office with a dark wooden desk buried under papers and a small computer sitting in it's corner. Opposite it was bookcase after bookcase—a good sized library filled with a variety of books.
Sydney browsed through the shelves, quickly forgetting about the person she knew had been in her room. As she continued to look around, she found another shelf. This one however, was different the rest. Photo albums and framed pictures filled it's wooden boards. After taking a closer look, Sydney longed for the memories the photographs held. Some were from her wedding day. These were filled with joyful faces—evidence of a happier time. Some were from Luke's birth. In those pictures, Sydney could see sincere love and utter joy in Sark's eyes, as well as in her own. Other photos were family portraits, Luke, Sark and herself at random places and of them when they first bought their home.
Sydney took a few pictures from one of the albums. As she was doing so, she heard movement coming from back in the library. She went to investigate as quickly as she could. But when she arrived, no one was there.
She walked back to the desk and sat down, contemplating the events since her arrival at the house. Soon her suspicion grew. Sark was in the house. He had to be. She could feel him.
Quickly, she grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. She jotted down only two words—they were all she needed to write—'Help me.' Sydney looked around the desk and eventually found a roll of tape. She walked back to where the noise had come from, and taped the sign to one of the bookshelves.
Sydney went back downstairs to check on Luke. She found him still asleep, and she sat down on the edge of the bed, content in watching her baby sleep. Then, after awhile, Sydney longed to check and see if Sark had seen her note. Quietly, she left Luke again and went back to the office.
She pulled the paper off the bookcase. He had found it and left a reply: 'What do you need?' After thinking for a minute, she summed up her answer by writing: 'Answers.' She grabbed a book off the shelf and sat down to read. Soon though, her eyelids grew heavy and she fell asleep.
There was someone else in the room. She could feel it. Sydney opened her eyes and he was there. Sark was standing next to her, reading the note she had left.
He looked down and saw Sydney's chocolate eyes looking at him. Before either of them said a word, Sark dropped the paper and pulled out some books that lined a wall. On the wall was a button. He pressed it twice, causing the bookshelf to reveal a hidden exit. Sark rushed in, then everything went back into place.
Sydney quickly repeated Sark's actions and entered the exit. She followed a long hallway—not seeing any trace of her husband. She began to walk faster and soon found herself in a large garden.
Her eyes scanned the area for any sign of the man she was searching for. She found him, heading for a small bridge that had been built over a pond. She got closer than lost track of him.
"Sark!" She called out to him, hoping the words would reach him through the darkness. "Please. Please, just talk to me for a minute!"
Sydney continued to make her way to the bridge as rain began to fall. Walking faster, she finally made it to the bridge. And there he stood.
At the other end of the bridge Sark waited, the large raindrops beginning to soak his clothes. Seeing him, Sydney walked across the bridge to his side and stood in front of her husband. Before she thought about what she was doing, she found herself kissing him as her arms wrapped around his neck.