A/N:Thanks for the wonderful reviews..here's the next chapter.. the 3rd one will be up tuesday next week.thaks for reading.
Detention Area (Sydney's cell)
Sydney woke up with a splitting headache. She sat up slowly with her hand on her head- trying to remember all the day's events. Her eyes scanned the area and somehow, everything looked surprisingly familiar to her. She has been lying in a steel bed. And then, she finally remembered where she saw this place before. It was the detention cell where they once held her mother, Irina Derevko.
Oh God, I'm being detained!
She spun around and found a pair of blue eyes staring back at her.
Sark.
Still a little dizzy, she walked slowly to face Sark. Sark on the other hand, instantly noticed that his new cell mate has awoken. He looked directly into her eyes callously. Sydney glared at him without blinking. For a while, they were just staring grimly at each other. Sydney decided to break the silence. She needed to know what happened to her during the time she was knocked out. She simply had no other choice to but to ask him.
"How long was I out?" she asked sharply.
"My, my, the great Sydney Bristow is being detained by her own agency. Although I'm rather pleased to see you here, I can't help but wonder--"
"Save it Sark, just answer the question."
Sark gave her a faint smile. He loved seeing her angry. He still respected Sydney although they were working for different organizations. So at least he'd give her some of her dignity by simply answering. No man should ever be this desperate, he thought.
"Do you really want to know? Honestly agent Bristow, I am aware of what Lauren Reed has told you. Now with that in mind, I'd think you would have come from Germany, if I am not mistaken," he paused. "If you must know, you were out for about 6 hours. Now if you don't mind, I'll get back to what I was doing." He turned away before she could even reply and went back on with his thoughts. He couldn't help but feel pity for her...
Sydney was totally outraged- everything that happened to her in just one day! She never expected things would get this far. She never expected things would get this bad for her. She stood in a corner looking out the window, collecting her thoughts. She knew what she needed to do. Finally, she surrendered to the fact that in this business you can never ever trust anyone...Especially those who are truly close to you.
Back in Cairo
Nadia set out to meet the curator AL madi of the Cairo National Museum to collect the map of Rambaldi's first key stone. According to the sphere of life, there were a total of seven keystones that they must collect to unleash Milo Rambaldi's greatest secret. Nadia prepared for her mission; applied make-up, fixed her hair and outfit and the other necessary changes she needed for her alias as Paris Mariano.
It was already past 10 when they arrived at the museum and apparently, it was about to close. She reached the gates of the museum and held her comm. To the other line was her father.
"I'm in," she whispered.
"Sorry, the museum is about to close. You can come back tomorrow," the guard informed her with a stiff Arabic accent.
"I have an appointment with the curator." She flashed her ID to the guard who instantly let her pass. Apparently, he has been informed of her arrival. Nadia made her way through the dark halls of the museum and glanced at the enticing beauty of the ancient relics and artifacts. She fought the urge to look around and headed directly to the curator's office.
"I'm on my way to intercept the cryptex," she said to the comm.
"Be careful. Keep you eyes open Nadia," her father replied.
Nadia entered the curator's office quietly and looked around. She panned her eyes searching for the curator but he was nowhere to be found. She felt uneasy. Something was wrong. She walked towards the curator's table with caution. Then she noticed a golden globe with hieroglyphics around it.
This is the cryptex!
She recognized Rambaldi's symbols among all the others immediately. She felt very much excited and thrilled, knowing she was close to finding the first keystone. Still looking closely at the relic, she turned her comm. back on and said, "I've got confirmation, the cryptex is here."
"Okay, good," Sloane answered.
"I'm heading for the rendezvous point."
She scooped the globe into her arms carefully. When she turned around to leave, she heard a sudden single gunshot.
"Should I inquire? There has been a gunshot down here."
"No just take the cryptex and leave."
With the approval of her father, she put the cryptex into her snap sack. She knew she needed to be careful so she took her gun out. As she stepped out the curator's office, a voice came from behind her.
"Leaving so soon Nadia?"
It was Mckenas Cole was holding the curator as hostage.
"Let him go," Nadia demanded, instinctively pointing the gun at Cole.
"Now, now, we don't need to be hasty, Nadia," he said with a smirk. Nadia glanced at the curator. He was panicking and he looked dead scared- she needed to do something.
"Let him go!" she repeated.
Cole signaled two of his men to enter the office.
Arvin Sloane listened through the comm. and began to worry, knowing his daughter was now in danger of being compromised.
"You don't play fair, do you Cole?" she said giving him a faint, fake smile. I can get out of this. I just need to beat him in his own game.
Cole laughed. "I never did."
"Well maybe today you should consider it." She knew he would consider it.
"I'll let him go if you hand me the cryptex. What do you say?" he offered.
"How about winner takes all?" she challenged him, raising her eyebrows.
"I like how you think," he replied playfully, knowing he shall take the cryptex no matter happened.
Cole and Nadia cautiously did their parts of the deal. Nadia placed the cryptex on the table while Cole slowly released the curator. Nadia raised her gun in the air giving Cole the signal to throw their weapons away. They started fighting. Nadia immediately gave him a roundhouse kick to the face which caused him lose his balance. Cole was able to stand up immediately.
"I clearly underestimated you," he muttered breathlessly. Nadia ignored Cole and attacked him again instead- making him back up against the door.
Arvin Sloane could hear everything that was happening through the comm. Anxious and worried, he hopped off the van and rushed to help and save Nadia.
Nadia breathed heavily and started to feel more confident. I can do this, she told herself. She aimed a punch on his nose but he caught her arm and kicked her lower abdomen causing her to stumble and fall. She picked herself off the ground and cleared her mind. Now more focused, she was able to block all his reckless attacks. Finally, she attacked him more forcefully which caused him to back up in a corner with no escape. She reached for the stashed knife underneath her belt buckle. She prepared to stab him but then there were two guards approaching her. She made a back flip behind them and stabbed the guard to her right, as the other guard tried to strangle her. She elbowed the guard's abdomen as she reached for his hand and twisted it. She gave him one final power kick to the face that immediately sent him on the floor. Her face was full of triumph for a few seconds but did not see Mckenas Cole had managed to find the gun and instantly pointed it towards her.
"Hand over the cryptex!" he demanded.
"I'd rather die than see the covenant take it!" she glared at him.
"You're just like your sister...but that can be arranged." He pointed the gun towards her.
This is it. Nadia closed her eyes weakly. Her heart sank realizing it was her doom. She hasn't even got the chance to know her sister, mother and father. All of a sudden, she heard a gun shot from behind her. She opened her eyes to find Cole on his knees, whimpering in pain. She turned around to look at the shooter. It was her father holding out his hand towards her. Nadia felt a great relief but she could not deny the disappointment she was feeling for herself. Cole was pathetically begging for his life while Sloane pointed his gun at him, preparing to finish him off.
"You could have killed my daughter. Now I'm going to see to it that you will never have that chance again."
But before he could shoot him, Nadia touched his arm gently. She looked straight at him and said softly, "If you really meant what you told me before, then please don't do this." Her eyes were pleading.
Sloane was surprised by the fact that his daughter was asking him to spare the life of someone who just attempted to kill her. At first, he hesitated but he eventually gave in knowing this is what she truly wanted. Nadia hurriedly tied Cole and his men up. Then she grabbed the cryptex while his father turned on the alarm. They rushed their way out and headed back to the jet, leaving Cole and his men to be found by the authorities.