Rotunda

Vaughn felt uneasy. He knew something wasn't right. Sydney promised to call him. Why hasn't she called? What could possibly have happened to her? Vaughn searched for Weiss frantically. If Sydney hasn't contacted him, then maybe the CIA had heard from her. He didn't had any luck finding Weiss either. Where was everybody? Few seconds later, he spotted Dixon leaving his office. Vaughn almost ran towards him. He needed to know what Sydney's status was.

"Dixon, is Sydney back from Germany?"

Dixon's expressions were noticeably troubled. Vaughn knew that he was about to hear something terrible.

"Yes."

"Where is she?"

Dixon drew a heavy breath and hesitated.

What has happened to Sydney?

"Dixon, where is she?" he repeated, surprisingly raising his tone even more anxiously. Dixon did not want to inform Vaughn yet. Aware of Vaughn's feelings towards Sydney, he might do something that would surely cause more trouble. But he didn't want to lie to him either.

"Sydney's been detained," Dixon finally answered.

What? DETAINED? Dixon started explaining warily as best as he could but no words came to Vaughn's head. All he could think of was Sydney. Sydney. Detained by CIA? It didn't make any sense. Why would CIA detain their best asset? What the hell were they thinking?

"Vaughn," Dixon interrupted his thoughts. "Vaughn, listen to me. We had no choice. We had to. It was a direct order."

Vaughn's head started to spin. What hurt him more is the fact that just as when they can finally be together, this whole thing suddenly happens. He knew Sydney needs him right now. He wanted to see her more than anything else. He needed to help her.

"She doesn't deserve that and you know that," Vaughn said, aggravated.

"Vaughn-" Vaughn left before Dixon could even say anything else.

"We need to extract Sark immediately. He's been compromised," Olivia Reed said. Olivia was concerned. Sark has been like a son to her, after all. She just had to help him.

"Don't worry. I'll make the necessary arrangements," a deep, heavily accented voice answered on the other line. Then the phone line went dead.

Sydney's cell

Sydney stared blankly at the corner of her cell, lost in her thoughts. Thousands of questions lingered in her mind. She still couldn't believe what she's just found out about her identity. How was Jack able to keep all these things from her for years? Her thoughts were interrupted by sounds of heavy footsteps. As expected, Jack Bristow came in to visit her. This was the last thing she needed. She didn't want to listen to what he was going to say. She was almost sure he would just throw her explanations she would not even try to understand or accept.

Jack went on a halt a feet away from Sydney's cell. He has been dreading this confrontation. He looked at her daughter's fierce eyes. He could tell she has been crying.

"Sydney, I don't know if there is an explanation that could still change what you're feeling about this, or for me," he paused.

"But what I can tell is, I did it for you. You won't understand right now. But someday you will," he managed to say after a few seconds.

Sydney felt disgusted, the look she had on her face said it all. She stood up, took few steps and locked her raging eyes with his father's.

"For me? For me? How can it be for me, if I'm the one who's suffering for a life I did not choose and I'm the one who's supposedly thankful? What you did was not for me. It was for your country," Sydney said in a bitter tone.

It was like a stab in the heart. Jack couldn't blame her. What happened was such a shock. He just wished that there was something he could do to prove to her that what he did the right thing for her. He turned to leave slowly, knowing that, that was what she wanted.

Sydney closed her eyes and fought her tears back. All she wanted to do was to hurt him. Make him suffer for what he's done to her. To her life. She couldn't understand how anyone can do such a thing to someone you love. Then she remembered...Truth Takes Time. Mom. If anyone knew about this, it would be mom. I need to know everything. I NEED TO FIND HER. She didn't even know where or how to start but she was determined to find out the truth- even if it meant going against the CIA, her dad and...Vaughn. She closed her eyes helplessly; bit her lip as tears strolled down her eyes. She cannot even bear the thought of fighting against him. Especially now that they can finally be together. She doesn't want to. But if she had to, she will.

Rotunda

"Good news, we have a lead on Sloane," Weiss exclaimed, catching his breath.

"Where?" Dixon asked in a firm voice.

"In Cairo, a security camera caught him entering a restricted part of the Cairo international museum. Bad news is that was two hours ago," Weiss explained.

"Did you run the footage with Marshall?"

"Yes, we got a match,"

"Okay, send in an infiltration team immediately. I want to see if they left any clues why they were their and to where their headed," Dixon ordered then turned away and called Langley regarding their position on Sloane. Weiss lead the infiltration team going into Cairo.

Jet

The sound of jets rose through the sky. Arvin Sloane looked at her daughter peacefully sleeping on the bed. A quick smile caught his lips. It brought him so much joy just to watch her. He had to admit, he was quite surprised but pleased at the same time that Nadia choose him over the CIA. She made the right decision, he thought. Considering everything that happened, he still thinks of Sydney. He wondered as to where and how she was. Sydney was still like a daughter for him, after all.

He noticed that Nadia started shivering. He walked towards her and gently reached for her and kissed her forehead. Then he carefully placed a blanket on her. He wanted to get closer to her. He wanted to love her. And he was glad he finally has a chance to prove himself to Nadia.

As he returned back to his seat, he took out his satellite phone and called.

"Phase 3 is complete," the man said instantly on the other line, obviously waiting for his call.

"Excellent, I expect to see you soon. I'm close to obtaining the keystone," he replied, glancing at Nadia, who now started to open her eyes.

"It's time," he said.

With out another word, she stood up and sat on the chair next to him. He gave her a weary smile and handed her the cryptex.

"Nadia, do you know how to open this?" he asked softly.

She nodded, remembering as to why or how she knew; the sphere had shown her things. Things that she had to do. And for Arvin Sloane, this was just one of them. Nadia began to move the panels all around until both of them heard a click. Her father watched her in anticipation.

This is truly marvelous, he thought.

The next few seconds, the clicking became louder. It was so loud that Sloane had to put his hands over ears. Immediately, Nadia moved her hand toward both ends of the cryptex and pushed them together. Suddenly the cryptex began to vibrate violently that Nadia could hardly hold on, a blinding flash of light then appeared. It was too bright that both of them had to shut their eyes.

After a while, Sloane opened his eyes and smiled with satisfaction with what he saw. The cryptex has revealed a circular yellow crystal and a very old torn piece of parchment. They looked at each other, both smiling.

"Good work Nadia. This is a great victory we will not forget," Sloane said as he walked over to grab wine to celebrate.

"To Milo Rambaldi," he said raising his wine glass. Nadia did the same.

Nadia hoped her father was right. No one, not even her knew what Rambaldi's end game was. She knew in her heart she had to know before Sloane uses it to bring forth Rambaldi's ultimate goal. Immortality.

Under her breath she sighed and told him, "I hope your right,"

Vaughn glanced at his watch for like the 10th time for the last 5 minutes. He was patiently waiting outside his car. At last, Jack's car came into view and parked beside his car.

"You wanted to meet," Jack said, thinking that Vaughn's probably found out what happened to Sydney.

"Yes. I want to extract Sydney," he told him in a desperate tone. Vaughn didn't know who else to ask help from but Jack. Anything that concerns Sydney, he knew that Jack would not refuse.

Jack gave him a weak stern look and answered, "You do know that you're going to break at least a dozen federal laws." He doesn't know about Sydney yet. He knows that Sydney won't forgive him any time soon. Or probably she'll never forgive him. Who knows what she was thinking? But if he would help her get out, at least, that could prove something.

"I know and I don't care, I will do anything it takes, you know that," he said firmly.

"Okay then, I'll make the necessary arrangements. I'll call you when everything's ready." Jack left and talked to his contacts immediately. Though he was still unsure on how how could make things right for her. This is not enough he thought silently.

Vaughn was relieved to get assistance from Jack. All he needed to do now was to wait for the Intel on Sydney and Sark's transfer.