Sydney took a deep breath as she walked swiftly under orders to the Focus, her former boss having decided as they walked that it would be safer to take a car that wouldn't possibly be bugged or booby-trapped. Vaughn and Sloane followed at a slower pace. Both of them watched the surrounding police warily, Sloane inclining his head meaningfully toward the gun buried in the CIA Agent's side, and Vaughn trying his best to gesture warningly toward the remote detonator in his captor's other hand.
Her thoughts tracked wildly as the Focus loomed closer. What she was about to try could possibly result in all of their deaths if Sloane wasn't bluffing, but better to die quickly and on her terms than be at the mercy of a psychopath.
Without daring to communicate her idea, she stopped abruptly and threw her leg behind her. As she had hoped, Sloane had urged Vaughn faster so that they were close behind her. Her legs tangled immediately in his, causing her former handler to stumble.
Vaughn didn't waste the chance he'd been given, exaggerating his fall enough to pull completely away from Sloane. His hand flew to his ankle and the knife that then flew from his hand collided almost immediately with the remote detonator Sloane held, knocking it away. Sydney also advantage of the distraction to vault forward in a tackle, trying to kick away the gun Sloane still gripped. But sensing her move, even as he fought to stem the bleeding in his knife-wounded hand, Sloane whirled away from her and fired with his unwounded one. Sydney stopped immediately, horrified.
"VAUGHN!"
The bullet slammed mercilessly into Vaughn's chest, driving him fully to the ground. He grunted, his hands forming fists as he fought to deal with the pain. The vest he had worn almost as an afterthought had saved his life, true, but it still hurt. Sensing Sydney's horror, however, he forced himself to raise his head and flash a smile. I'm okay, Syd. I'll be fine. She relaxed visibly.
Breathing almost as heavily as the agent he'd just shot, Sloane pulled Sydney's gun out of his suit pocket and aimed at her, pointing the other revolver down at Vaughn, who was clearly struggling to put his pain behind him.
"Here's how this is going to work, children," Sloane said, his tone maddeningly calm, even as the police sensed a chance and began tracking sniper rifles towards the terrorist. "All three of us will leave together, or I will leave alone and you two will become stars on a wall. What do you say?"
Sydney closed her eyes briefly, before opening them and staring at Vaughn. Her partner sat up with obvious difficulty, jaw clenched in pain. His eyes locked with hers, his wishes unmistakable. He's distracted. Get out of here! I'll handle it. Get out of here!
She shook her head slowly, eyes brimming with tears. I left you behind once, she thought toward him silently. I will not make that mistake again. He sighed deeply in resignation, understanding her as easily as if she had spoken aloud.
"What's your decision?"
"Stand down!" Sydney barked to the police as they moved closer, fingering the suitcase in her right hand. "Stand down or be responsible for the death of at least one American agent!" They backed away.
Vaughn, meanwhile, pulled himself to his feet, one hand resting lightly over the embedded bullet. He didn't blink when Sloane promptly raised his own gun in line with his temple, simply nodded slowly in acquiescence. Sydney followed that by holding open her empty hand, gripping the magnetometer loosely in her other one.
"I knew you both would make the right choice," Sloane said warmly, his tone now that of a proud father. "Now, I think you've stalled long enough. Let's depart, please."
They reached the car. Sark continued to watch via satellite, fascinated, as Sloane gave Agent Vaughn a light shove into the backseat and followed him in while Sydney set the magnetometer on the passenger seat and started the Focus.
When their earpieces clicked, Vaughn and Sydney were both so tense that they barely managed to control their surprised reactions in time.
"Sydney, if you can hear me, clear your throat. Agent Vaughn, do not react."
Without showing her sudden hope in any way, Sydney did so. Meanwhile, in the backseat, Vaughn continued his staring contest of sorts with their captor.
"An extraction team is on the way," Jack informed them, hiding his anxiety in his business-like tone. "Their goal is to get both of you out and then, if the opportunity is there, to handle Sloane. Agent Weiss is on point. ETA 10 minutes."
Sydney stiffened, not liking her father's priorities but not daring to object. Not that I could anyway.
"Distract him, Sydney," Jack ordered. "Vaughn, I would suggest that you, on the other hand, continue to cooperate fully."
If this were any other day or he was any other person, I would think Jack Bristow just made a joke, Vaughn thought dryly, already quite aware that his own service pistol was currently aimed precisely between his eyes.
"We're on our way for pickup, sir. According to the conversation I've tapped into, our guests are due for extraction by their allies in 10. Our ETA is 5."
Sloane cleared his throat.
"The CIA has a hit list. Thirty-five people worldwide its agents are allowed to kill. Thirty-five out of six billion. You're one of them," Sydney informed him, half mocking, half dead serious. "Which means when I kill you, I won't even be breaking the law."
Vaughn frowned inwardly. Syd, I don't think that's what your dad meant when he said to distract him.
Sure enough, Jack's voice rang through the earpiece clearly. "Sydney, I said to occupy him, not aggravate him."
"Ah, Sydney," Sloane sighed, his aim at Vaughn never wavering. "I told you not to come after me. I warned you that I would kill you if you interfered!"
"You'll have to kill me first," Vaughn informed him, dimly aware of the fact that his threat wasn't currently even remotely intimidating, but still needing to make it known. "And then you'll have to kill Jack Bristow."
Even Sydney smirked at the thought of that competition. Dad would make him suffer.
"I was wondering when you would join the conversation, Agent Vaughn," Sloane said, his tone almost jovial. "I'd known for a while that Sydney was meeting an agent matching your description quite regularly, but it wasn't until your little venture in Níce that I was able to learn your identity."
"That's pretty disappointing for a man versed in Intel," Vaughn returned. Sydney's jaw dropped. Don't you make him mad either, idiot! I'm not the one he's pointing a gun at!
"I concur," Sloane replied, genuinely amused. "Though Mr. Sark may be somewhat inclined to disagree. He's responsible for all of my legwork."
"Sark as a lackey?" Vaughn raised a brow. "The boy really will do anything to make a buck."
"Vaughn!" Sydney hissed, unable stop herself. What're you doing?
"It's all right, Sydney," Sloane soothed. He looked at the man under his gun. Vaughn met his stare with a sardonic gaze of his own, though his eyes were hard.
"You seem like a respectable young man," Sloane said to him. "I must say, I'm glad for that. I've always thought of Sydney as a daughter, you know. She has had many trials in her life, mostly because of me, admittingly, and she needs someone she can rely on. That's partly why I didn't pull this trigger when you showed such disrespect to people I rely on."
"Are you looking for gratitude?" Vaughn snapped, astonished.
"No," he replied. "I just wanted you to know my feelings regarding you. And that I almost feel guilty about this because of those feelings. Almost."
With that, Sloane reversed his grip on Vaughn's gun swiftly and pistol-whipped him across the face, hard. He crumpled instantly, unconscious before he slumped against the leather of the backseat.
"Vaughn!" Sydney cried, nearly driving off the road in horror.
"Keep driving," Sloane ordered her. "I know the CIA is on the way, but my allies are closer. Mr. Sark?"
"ETA 1 minute."
Review Responses
Linda! Shhhhhhhhhh! (On so many levels!) ;)
Arwen: Hope you went and got a soda while you waited! I'd hate to think you sat rapt in front of your screen refreshing the page all this time! ;) lol
Leah: Ditto on that.
Andi: Duuude. Went and peeked at your alluded story and just died laughing! Awesome! Will definitely park myself out at my comp and R&R the rest ASAP.
Ilovemypenguin: Hee! Hello again! :hugs:
Anonymous: Will do!
Egyption Kat: Hello again! I remember you from Surmising! :sniff: Good times. And as for the 'minimum', 100 people have stopped by and read so far. 10% is all I ask. ;) And no worries! I'll update regardless, reviews just determine how fast I do so!
MJ9: Oh, here, let me tell about it. Sike! :snerk: And there's plenty more where that came from. ;)
Nana: Thanks for stopping by and will do! This story is almost finished, so it doesn't matter to me when all of y'all decide you want me to update.