Title: Esoteric

Summary:

Disclaimer: I don't own Alias or any of the characters from the show.

Rating: PG-13

A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and in response to Egyhon's review I wouldn't just not continue a story without a very good reason, I'm just getting less time to work on my fanfiction due to school work, but I'll update as often as I can.

Chapter Four

Arvin Sloane, Jack, Dixon and Kendall all sat in the CIA briefing room along with Vaughn and Lauren who had insisted on being involved. Sloane had also asked that Marshall join them, but he had not stated why.

" We need to determine Rhambaldi's motives for taking Sydney. We've always known she was somehow connected to his…her work. Now more than ever it is vital that we know why." Kendall explained as he led the meeting.

"Irina never told me why Rhambaldi wanted Sydney, only that she was important to Rhambaldi's work." Jack replied, his gaze settled on the floor away from the faces of his colleagues.

"Wanted?" Vaughn repeated. "You knew Rhambaldi was alive? That he…she was after Syd and you didn't think that maybe it was worth mentioning?"

"When Irina left a woman got in touch with me, she said she had made a deal with Irina, that she could have Sydney. I refused, then she told me who she was, I didn't believe it. I thought she was some fraud trying to steal the only person I had left in my life."

Sloane cleared his throat for their attention before speaking. "As we're all sharing our past experiences…Irina told me she had made a deal with Rhambaldi, that she was willing to give up her daughter to the woman. Yes, she told me Rhambaldi was really a woman. From her intelligence, power and amazing insight history mistook her for being male. Irina also informed me of Rhambaldi's end game…"

"From what we've gathered so far and with the fact that Rhambaldi is still alive we think it's some sort of immortality." Marshall interrupted. Sloane cast a glance at the usually unconfident man. "With all due respect, which for you is none, you're not my boss…and I don't like you." He added and quickly sat down next to Vaughn who was trying desperately to suppress a smirk.

"Be that as it may, when I was your employer I had you run the likelihood of an invention Rhambaldi had drafted, you said it was highly unlikely to work. You were wrong."

Marshall's eyes widened and he shook his head. "That…that would never work…it's impossible." Marshall blabbered. "That kinda thing just can't be done…"

"What are you talking about?" Kendall interrupted Marshall's ramblings.
"Rhambaldi's end game." Sloane informed him. "I know exactly why she wants Sydney and neither she nor any of you will like it."

"Tell me my destiny then." Sydney shouted at Rhambaldi as she stood as far away as she could. Milo Rhambaldi smiled lovingly at Sydney as she walked towards her. Sydney tried to back off and bumped against a wall. She was pressed against the wall by the great inventor.

"To love me." She whispered in her ear. Sydney was sure she had misheard. She was sure that Rhambaldi's lips weren't pressed to her own and she was sure that any minute she'd wake up and find it had all been a horrible nightmare.

Rhambaldi pulled away as Sydney didn't respond to the kiss. "I know this is hard for you Sydney, but you belong to me and with time you'll grow to love me…" Sydney pushed her away violently.

"Yeah, maybe on the twelfth of never." She snapped disgustedly as she wiped her lips. Rhambaldi smirked and Sydney felt like she was missing something as though so big secret was being kept from her and the woman before her was revelling in knowing something Sydney didn't.

"Sydney, I am over four hundred years old. I have all the time in the world…so when the twelfth of never comes, I'll be there…and so will you."

"I very much doubt I'll live to see my first century never mind a fourth." Sydney replied. "I'm not like you. I'm mortal, I'll die and in my line of work my death probably isn't a million miles away." Rhambaldi shook her head.

"Do you think I'd let you die Sydney? When I'm finished you'll be just like me and I will be the only one who will stay in your life, your friends and family will die before your eyes and the new ones you make will die too, and you will not. I will be the only one you have and you're going to accept that!"

"I won't let you keep me alive for so long." Sydney argued. Rhambaldi smirked.

"Maybe it's already done. Maybe you're already immortal and I really am all you'll have left in your never ending life." Sydney looked at her gun that rested on the bedside table; obviously Rhambaldi had been too arrogant to think Sydney would be able to do any damage with it.

She ran for it and pointed it at the Rhambaldi. The woman laughed cruelly and shook her head. She spread her arms out wide as though they were wings and stared defiantly at Sydney. "You're not quite grasping the immortality are you?" She asked.

"Oh believe me I am." Sydney replied. "You want me to live forever, live in this harsh world, live this life, right not I can barely stand to know that when I wake up in the morning I'm alive and I have another day of pain and heartache. I won't let that last for eternity. I may not be able to kill you, but I'm betting you were bluffing when you said you'd already made me immortal…so I'm going to find out…"

"NO!" Rhambaldi screamed out, afraid of what Sydney's tired and irrational mind would do. "You're not immortal, yet. You have my word." Sydney knew she finally had the upper hand.

"I'm leaving now and if you in anyway try to stop me I will shoot myself, is that clear?"

"Yes." She replied bitterly as Sydney headed to the door of the room. "You really are that desperate Sydney, to end your life. It must be hard living with all the pain and heartache you've experienced in your short life."

"Most of it was because of you in someway or another." Sydney snapped.

"Let me make it up to you. I can show you the world Sydney…"

"I've seen it." She shouted bitterly. "I've travelled to dozens upon dozens of countries, dressed in disguises, killing, stealing, deceiving the people I love, even losing them, all because of you!" She pushed the gun to her temple. "Now let me go."

Rhambaldi sat on the bed and sighed. "I know it's hard Sydney, but what do you have besides me? A father who has lied to you for most of your life? A lover who married within two years of losing you? A job that will either take your life or your sanity? We're destined to be together Sydney. You have no idea how special you are to me. How much I need you, please stay with me. What do you have to lose?"

Sydney's eyes glistened with unshed tears and finally they slid down her cheeks as she sobbed and threw the gun at the wall opposite her. She slumped to her feet and wrapped her arms around herself to comfort her.

"Nothing." Sydney sobbed. "I have nothing to lose."