Chapter 2

(present time)

Sydney and Jack now stood in an antique shop with Mr. Gatti staring at the chair believed to have once belonged to Rambaldi. It was in great condition, almost as if it was built yesterday. Jack raised a quizzical eyebrow. He had seen antique furniture that were very well preserved but this chair seemed almost brand new.

He at once looked over to Sydney who in turn began, "Well, I'm gonna go look around if you don't mind."

"Go, go, look. See what you like." Mr. Gatti ushered for Sydney to roam around. With that Sydney took her leave and looked.

There seemed to be no sign of this chair. Sydney was about to give up when she notice that the supply room of the Gatti Antique store was ajar. Sydney wriggled her way in so that she would not make a sound.

She pulled out a pocket knife from her boot and laid down underneath the chair. Sydney then proceeded to rip the chair fabric with the knife. A piece of paper fell out with an address. Just as Sydney and Jack had suspected, the chair in the showroom did not belong to Rambaldi.

Sydney left as quietly as she entered the back room and rejoined her father, "I didn't find anything else that pleased my eye. Are we done here?"

"Yes. It was nice meeting you Mr. Loccossano. That goes double for you Ms. Loccossano." Mr. Gatti replied.

With that Jack and Sydney headed for the airport and back to Los Angeles.

Once in Los Angeles and in the briefing room Sydney pulled the piece of paper out of her pocket.

"If we are correct about this, then this address should be the location of Rambaldi's summer home." Jack chimed in.

"Let's get a team in there now." Dixon ordered, "Vaughn, Syd, are you two up for another mission?"

scene change

(8 years ago)

Sark had just found out that Lauren had been killed by Vaughn. Sark had grown quite found of her; when they were together, there seemed to be nothing they couldn't do. But those time were over, and he needed someone that he could trust. He turned to Sloane, after all he saved Sloane life in Japan a few years ago.

Sloane had Sark meet him in an unmarked warehouse in Bangladesh. Sark reached the warehouse at midnight and entered as quietly as a mouse.

"Julian Sark, hello. It has been quite a while, has it not?" Sloane greeted him something seemed to be fishy, but that had always been the problem with Sloane. No matter how shady the situation seemed, or any situation for that matter, Sloane was the poster boy for calm, cool, and collective.

"I'm sorry we couldn't reunite under better circumstances." Sark replied. "Fine, if Sloane wants to play this game I'll play along to," Sark thought.

Sloane was looking into Sark's eyes as if searching for some truth or emotion. Sark wasn't looking into Sloane's eyes, but rather at Sloane's glasses which reflected a young woman right behind him with a crow bar. Before Sark could do anything to block the woman he was knocked unconscious.

"Good work Nadia!" Sloane praised his daughter.

"Are you sure he's the one?" Nadia asked as she watched Sark's chest rise and fall with each breath he took.

"Of course I am. I never venture into uncharted territory, unless I have made sure for a fact that things will go in my favor." Sloane said before he added, "Get that table ready."

While Nadia was fixing contraptions on the table, Sloane dragged Sark's body towards the table and strapped him down to it.

Once Sark awoke, both Nadia and Sloane stood hovering over him.

"Where are my manners, Julian this is my daughter Nadia. You know her mother Irina. Nadia, This is Julian Sark," Sloane introduced the two and then turning back to Sark, "or is it Lazeray? Well any way he worked for your mother, before he came to work with me."

Sark stared at Nadia expressionlessly. He was trying to find similarities in Nadia that were in Irina, or even Sydney. Nadia had beautiful, dark hair just like her mother and sister did. Nadia moved to put her hair behind her ear the way her mother and sister always did. Nadia had Irina's eyes, but Sydney's incredible smile.

"Relax Sark, we are not going to kill you." Sloane replied. Sark didn't know rather to be relieved or terrified, but on the outside he showed nothing; his facial expression was a blank.

"Your too important to our cause to kill you." Sloane continued.

This time Sark looked confused, but that was only for a few seconds because Nadia cleared it up for him, "We need you."