Alternate Infatuation
Sequel to Alternate Existence. We all know that certain people are simply destined to be together. When Syd finally gets out of the life of espionage she was drawn into at sixteen, how will she find her own destiny? (S/V, of course! And I've brought back Jeffrey…I love his character too much to leave him out!)
Chapter 1: New Beginnings
Disclaimer: Author does not own most of these characters. Said author does not wish to be sued.
A/N: I'm sure ya'll are all gonna love this, and I'm already playing with ideas for a third part to this story!
The CIA had offered her a generous position, of course. But that wasn't what she wanted. It never had been.
The KGB was finally gone, all but a few scattered agents. Unfortunately, her mother and Khasinau were among those who had escaped during the CIA's takedown. She'd never forget the look of combined agony and admiration on her mother's face when she'd realized her daughter was a double agent, but that didn't matter much now. The end of the KGB meant, for Sydney and for fellow double Agent Calvin Denosivich, the end of an espionage career. Sydney was ready.
All through her affiliation with the CIA and the KGB, she'd insisted on attending school. First high school, then college. At twenty-six, Sydney was now a much sought-after highly trained computer technician and programmer, a talent that had made her CIA counter missions easier on several occasions.
That's all behind me now, she remembered as she fingered the key to her new apartment. Every record of her existence at the CIA had been sealed tight, and now she had a shot at the kind of normal life she hadn't known since she was sixteen. The LA computer company had offered her a job which she had quickly accepted, since it would put her closer to her father. They had made little to no progress in their relationship in the past six years or so, but Sydney hoped that with only one of them working for an employer that sent them to all ends of the earth and back, they might finally have a chance to get closer.
Besides, the position was good. Very prestigious, something her former job had not allowed much of. It was, to her mind, a miracle that a company at the other end of the nation had even heard of her, let alone had wanted her to work for them.
Sydney pulled her new key out of her pocket and pushed open the door of her cushy LA apartment her company had arranged for her. It was exhilarating, the freedom. No bugs, no handlers, no cameras, no tails, no stealth devices.
Unconsciously, Sydney's right hand moved to the chain at her neck. Only when her fingers closed on empty air did she realize she missed her silver locket. It had been so much a part of her for…God, ten years now. She'd buy some kind of necklace soon. It wasn't that she missed the hidden switch in the locket; the chain had simply become a source of reassurance and confidence during all those years.
God. Ten years. Such a huge chunk of her life. Almost half, really.
She shook her head and scanned her apartment, from the fluffy red sofa, to the plush beige carpet, to the gleaming kitchen, a half smile on her face. She was just beginning now. A real job should be a snap after what she'd done for an after school job.
Sydney was, after all the training she'd had, an outward epitome of confidence. Really, though, she was nervous as hell. Despite all of her excellent training, and all of her necessary skill of reading people, she'd never held down what she termed a real job; every aspect of it was surreal.
Her new boss met her before she could get out of the entryway to the office building.
"Miss Bristow?" the man asked warmly. "I'm Robert Morris, we spoke on the phone?"
"Right," Sydney said, forcing a convincing smile. "I'm very happy to accept your offer. This seems to be an exceptional company."
"Yes, Lothair Technologies is great, and wonderful to work for. Superior pay. Now, would you like me to find someone to show you around, or would you like me to show you to your office? I'm sure you'll want to get it equipped to your satisfaction," Morris offered.
The man's honest exuberance quickly dispelled the worst of Sydney's nerves.
"I think I'll take a rain check on the tour," she said. "I'm sure my office is adequately equipped, but I guess I do need to get things set up." Her smile was genuine now. "Thank you, Mr. Morris," she offered as he showed her the elaborate office space.
"Call me Rob," he said quickly. "We so rarely deal with clients in this department that we've become pretty informal most of the time."
"Thank you, then, Rob," Sydney said. "What all is included in this department?"
"We're mostly programs," he said smoothly, as if he'd done it a hundred times before. "We create every aspect of a program except the marketing campaign. In our spare time, we do a little advancing technology. You know, faster CD-ROM drives, smaller hard drives for more information. Another area of your expertise, I understand?"
Sydney smiled faintly.
"I've done mostly programming," she admitted. And some high class hacking, she added mentally.
As Robert Morris bid her, Sydney left the office building for lunch at noon and walked up the street two blocks toward the little restaurant she'd noticed earlier. As she walked, she continually glanced around her, partly out of habit and partially because she couldn't quite understand how LA could look almost identical to New York but have such a different feel to it. Both had the pulsing undertow of any city, but to Sydney, LA felt more peaceful than anywhere she'd ever been.
She knew the CIA building was up the street the other direction, but she didn't care. She was through with that phase of her life, and she'd never go back. Nothing could make her give up her real life again.
Suddenly, her steady step slowed as her eyes rested on a man in a gray suit across the busy street, for no reason. Then he turned toward her, and their eyes locked. Even across the street and between speeding cars she could make out the deep green color of his eyes that brightened even as they stared at each other. She felt a strange connection to him.
A city bus passed between them, and then she could no longer locate him among the throngs of people on the sidewalk at lunchtime.
The man reminded her of someone. Someone…the Green-eyed Suit. She smiled softly, remembering a time before she's had the childhood innocence that allowed her to believe in love at first sight stripped away.
But, she thought, her smile fading, what were the odds of some stranger on the street being her Green-eyed Suit, a man she'd seen once as a teenager, whose name she didn't even know. In a city this size, what were the odds she'd even ever see the stranger again?
Vaughn slowed his step imperceptivity, feeling somebody's eyes on him. Instinctively his eyes darkened as he tensed, expecting to find some threat to him. Instead, across the street the most amazing woman he'd ever seen was staring at him. She wore a navy blazer and pinstriped navy pants, and her hair was twisted into a perfect chignon. A business woman, then.
He was surprised that she continued to stare boldly at him, as if mesmerized. There was something in that brown-eyed gaze that was so familiar, something about that shy, furtive gaze…
What was he about? The woman was staring openly at him, nothing furtive about it!
He was losing it. He'd been working too hard lately, that was all. He'd take Saturday off and spend some time on himself. He hadn't called his mother in France in months.
Until then, though, he had to snap out of this fog those brown eyes had zapped into his brain. He was going to be late getting back to the CIA from lunch anyway, and if he wanted a day off he had work to do.
So, what do ya'll think? I bet ya'll can't guess how they meet again! This is gonna be so much fun!