Two days pass, of monotonous, unending, excruciating boredom.
He is unable to sleep. Instead, he lies on the bench and stares at the permanent grey of the ceiling.
He wonders how Allison is faring. At this point he wouldn't be surprised if Irina had told Sydney her best friend was actually a genetic double.
Then he remembers his last meeting with Allison, and he shuts her out of his memory. For the time being.
Irina had used him again. Set him up to be captured to give away Sloane's location to the CIA. All for Sydney. Irina's love for her daughter will be her downfall one day, he thinks contemptuously.
Perhaps sooner.
Sark hears the rattling of the bars at the beginning of the corridor. Rather early for visitors, he thinks.
It isn't his good friend Kendall.
It's Jack Bristow.
So they did find him, he thinks. He wonders if this means that Sloane and the device were recovered.
Jack wears his usual poker face. But Sark feels an aura around him, one of pure exhaustion and weariness. He tilts his head up a little to look at Jack, who is a few inches taller.
He remembers their last face-to-face meeting – the night he had exchanged Tippin for a Rambaldi page.
Tippin, Tippin. Why did everything come back to Tippin? He can honestly say that he wouldn't mind giving him another appointment with that dentist contact of his.
Jack just stares back, and begins, hesitantly at first, but growing stronger. "The CIA team invaded the building in Mexico City. I was recovered and brought back to L.A." He pauses. "Sloane escaped, along with the device. The Telling.
"Derevko was also in the building. According to Agent Vaughn, she took down several of Sloane's operatives before telling Sydney and Vaughn to follow Sloane. Vaughn went after him. Sydney went after Derevko." Sark notes the reluctance to say Irina's name. She did save you, you know.
"She escaped using one of the elevator shafts."
Jack pauses again, and Sark senses he is coming to the crux of the matter.
"Will Tippin was working to discover the identity of the second double from Marcovic's lab. After finding Provacillium in Sydney's bathroom, he realized that the double might have been Francie Calfo, Sydney's roommate." Sark felt an odd sensation in his stomach. Allison.
What had happened to Allison?
"According to Tippin, he then was attacked by the double, whom we've identified as A.G. Doren. She stabbed him in the side and hid his body in the bathtub.
"We've come to some conclusions about what happened after. Agent Vaughn states he brought Sydney home and then left. Tippin had left a rushed message on Sydney's cell phone, telling her that Ms. Calfo might be the double. We believe Sydney received it.
"Vaughn was scheduled for a debrief, after which he was going to drive back to Sydney's. When he arrived, he found the remains of a colossal struggle between Sydney and the double. He also discovered Tippin, barely alive, and immediately called paramedics.
"The double was also brought in. There were three gunshot wounds to her arm and shoulders.
"And there was a gun. Lying on the floor, next to a broken mirror. It seems that the double smashed Sydney into the glass. There was a slash on the double's cheek. Sydney had picked up a shard and thrust it at her cheek, and then shot her. She died several hours later."
Sark's throat tightens. Allison . . . He forces himself to stay calm.
"Why couldn't you simply have gotten this information from Sydney?" Had she died?
Sark saw Jack's mask break for only an instant. "We couldn't find her. She's missing. We found her blood on the floor, her prints on the gun. We don't know who could have gotten to her first, or why." His stare clearly indicates his suspicion.
Sloane, Sark realizes.
Jack is watching him closely. When Sark doesn't answer, he goes on. "You're wondering why I'm telling you this. Your cooperation with us during Mexico City shows you may be a valuable asset. Kendall strongly feels you should be sent to Camp Harris. That doesn't have to happen, if you tell us what we need to know. What is The Telling, and what is its purpose?"
Sark blinks.
Jack Bristow, he thinks, looking at him, is infinitely more intimidating than Kendall will ever be. Not that he has ever been intimidated.
"Keeping me out of Camp Harris doesn't seem like a sufficient enough reward for intel of this magnitude. It's practically inevitable that I'll be sent there eventually."
"What do you have in mind?"
Allison, his mind cries. Give me Allison back, and you can have whatever the hell you want.
He doesn't say this. Instead he says, "It's most likely that Arvin Sloane has your daughter. In addition to giving you information about Il Dire, my employer and I will give you our assistance in finding Sydney. But only if I am officially released from U.S. custody."
Jack's stare grows even harder. After a moment, he says, "It's not my decision to make. Director Kendall will make the final choice in a few hours. Then you'll know." He turns and leaves the cell.
Sark retreats back to his bed with one empty, hollowing thought in mind.
Allison . . .
