Title:The Double Cross
Author: Samantha Greene
Summary: S/S. "Sequel to Shades of Gray."
A/N: As this is the sequel to Shades of Gray, you probably need to read that one or this story won't make sense. "Shades of Gray" was sort of an alternate future that takes place before Counteragent, but this does contain bits of future shows, so to be safe, spoilers for everything past Counteragent.
And a big thank you to everyone who supported "Shades of Gray." Hope you enjoy the sequel!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Alias.(Thinks of Sark and cries) All belong to JJ Abrams, Bad Robot, ABC, etc.
********* *********
CHAPTER 2
Sydney's POV
A little over two hours later, I found myself fully packed and waiting on the plane. In the back, my mother and father were quietly discussing strategy. A worried pounding drummed in the back of my head as I leaned my head back against the headrest and closed my eyes. Thinking back to Sloane's phone call that morning, I was quietly contemplating who could have given him that information when a hand on my shoulder caused me to jerk upright in my chair.
"Sark, don't scare me like that! I practically had a heart attack!"
Instantly an apologetic look appeared on Sark's face.
"I'm sorry. I was just wondering if the seat next to you was taken."
"No, no one's sitting there. I didn't mean to snap at you...I'm just a little keyed up from Sloane's call this morning."
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I think we need to tell your parents before we go on this mission. If Sloane knew about all that information, there's a good chance that he also knows about our current mission."
"Which could complicate this mission. You're right, we need to tell them before we go on the mission."
My parents listened to our tale in grim silence for the next few minutes. By the time we had finished, deep worry lines had formed in my mother's forehead, although my father was still wearing his traditional poker face. After a few moments of thought my father spoke up.
"The whole success of our mission hangs on the element of surprise that we have over Sloane. The instant he knows that we plan to steal the key before he does, he'll move up the time of his mission even if it does mean that he has to face more security. And aside from getting the key, he'll probably be waiting there for us."
My mothers eyes narrowed as she considered the situation carefully.
"Do we have enough time to get more agents over here?"
My father nodded.
"They can send the concorde. But I'm afraid that if Sloane sees us pulling more reinforcements, he'll just turn it into a fire fight. And he is more than willing to sacrifice some of his team to get the artifact."
My mother nods sagely.
"I agree with that. However, that's not quite what I had in mind..."
******** ********
2 Nights Later...
I emerged from my hotel room to find Sark waiting outside for me.
"Ready?"
"As much as I'll ever be. I have to admit I'm not quite so enthusiastic about this plan as my parents are."
"I'm not very happy about being bait either, love. But on the whole it appears to be a sound plan. And you know you're the person I'd most want to be fighting next to."
I smile to myself at this comment. Knowing who Sark is, this is a high compliment indeed. However, my nervousness returns twenty minutes later when we quietly remove the ceiling vent and lower ourselves to the ground in front of the safe.
"That was too quiet. Shouldn't there have been more guards?"
Sark silently nods in agreement.
"Let's just switch the keys and get out of here. I don't like the feeling of this. Watch the doors while I open this."
"That won't be necessary," a voice sounds from the far back door. Sark and I turn to see Sloane staring at us with a smug smile, a gun trained on us.
"My, my, we're getting sloppy, aren't we? Thought you knew exactly what my plan was, didn't you? Or were you relying on your mother to take out my entire team?"
We both stare at Sloane with identical wide-eyed expressions.
"Yes, I already saw Irina. My team has already retrieved her. They are now returning for both of you. So I wouldn't try anything, because I would definitely say I have more backup than you do."
Sark and I both slowly place our hands in the air and face Sloane, waiting for his next direction. Less than half a minute later, his team of eight file in through the door. They are garbed in similar black outfits, masks covering their faces to reveal only their eyes.
"Bind them," Sloane commands, and two members start toward us.
I bite back a smile as a pair of exceedingly familiar green eyes twinkle at me. Our hands are forced behind our backs, but instead of being put in handcuffs, I feel the grip of my gun slide against my palm. In the same instant, both Sark and I, along with Vaughn and Weiss behind us, bring out guns out and level them at Sloane. Startled, he steps back to see my parents, along with the other six members of our team, masks now removed, aiming guns at him. Sloane shakes his head in amazement.
"Sydney, Jack, you never fail to surprise me."
"Your team was probably more surprised," my mother comments quietly.
Sloane shoots her an angry look, shifting uncomfortably as he does so.
"Did you get the real key?" Sark asks.
My father shakes his head.
"We have his entire team in custody. The key wasn't on any of them. Unfortunately, the tranq darts don't wear off for another hour, so we can't question them. But I would assume that you have it," he says, talking to Sloane.
Sloane nods, spreading his arms, in surrender, as I see the metal glinting in his hand. I quickly grab the key away from him as Sark slaps handcuffs on him. I hand the key to my father who smiles grimly at Sloane. He addresses Sark and I.
"We'll take care of the eight members of his team. The local authorities have agreed to house our prisoners until we can get them sent back home. If you two can get Sloane to the police station, we'll be along in an hour or so. I want to make sure all the loose ends are tied up first."
"Yeah, Dad, we'll take Sloane in now. We'll wait at the station in case you need any more help. See you in an hour."
With this we move to the unmarked black van we came in, loading a handcuffed Sloane into the back before driving away.
************ ************
Jack's POV
2 Hours Later
The tranq darts wore off sooner than I expected, leaving the added headache of prisoners who were fully conscious and seriously angry. Worse still, these people were trained to fight back, in or out of handcuffs, and serious time was lost before all the prisoners were loaded into the two remaining vans. As we pulled into the police station, I noticed with some concern that I didn't see the other van here. But when I realized we were almost an hour later than I said we would be, I figured Sydney and Sark had grown tired of waiting and left.
In the station, I recognized an old friend, Emil, who I had met in one of my first years with the CIA. Our conversation soon turned to family, and Emil was shocked at how little Irina had changed in the twenty years since he'd last seen her.
"And your daughter? What is she like now?"
I explained that Sydney had been in earlier, bringing another man who was also in our custody.
"No, this is the first arrest we've processed all night. There hasn't been any girl in here."
Alarms going off in my head, I immediately dial Sydney's cell phone. No one answers. After quickly outlining the situation to Irina, she calls Sark's cell phone. Once again, no one answers. Frustrated, Irina and I turn to each other, unsure of what to do next. Finally we settle for reporting the make, model, and license plate of the van they were driving, then setting out in search of them ourselves as soon as our prisoners are booked. Emil assures us that squad cars on patrol will be told to keep a watch out for them, and Sloane's description will be sent out.
Half an hour later, booking finished, we quickly head for the door, and get in another van, anxious to find what has happened to Sydney and Sark. Despite the fact that I know there are rational explanations for this, horrible scenarios run through my mind. After nearly an hour of retracing the route, we are no closer when my phone rings and Irina answers it for me. I head her quiet and subdued responses, and expect news, but she is silent after hanging up the phone. I turn to see her eyes glinting slightly, her voice unusually soft when she speaks.
"Jack, they've found the van. It's overturned in a watery ditch. There's no one inside."
To Be Continued...
Author: Samantha Greene
Summary: S/S. "Sequel to Shades of Gray."
A/N: As this is the sequel to Shades of Gray, you probably need to read that one or this story won't make sense. "Shades of Gray" was sort of an alternate future that takes place before Counteragent, but this does contain bits of future shows, so to be safe, spoilers for everything past Counteragent.
And a big thank you to everyone who supported "Shades of Gray." Hope you enjoy the sequel!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Alias.(Thinks of Sark and cries) All belong to JJ Abrams, Bad Robot, ABC, etc.
********* *********
CHAPTER 2
Sydney's POV
A little over two hours later, I found myself fully packed and waiting on the plane. In the back, my mother and father were quietly discussing strategy. A worried pounding drummed in the back of my head as I leaned my head back against the headrest and closed my eyes. Thinking back to Sloane's phone call that morning, I was quietly contemplating who could have given him that information when a hand on my shoulder caused me to jerk upright in my chair.
"Sark, don't scare me like that! I practically had a heart attack!"
Instantly an apologetic look appeared on Sark's face.
"I'm sorry. I was just wondering if the seat next to you was taken."
"No, no one's sitting there. I didn't mean to snap at you...I'm just a little keyed up from Sloane's call this morning."
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I think we need to tell your parents before we go on this mission. If Sloane knew about all that information, there's a good chance that he also knows about our current mission."
"Which could complicate this mission. You're right, we need to tell them before we go on the mission."
My parents listened to our tale in grim silence for the next few minutes. By the time we had finished, deep worry lines had formed in my mother's forehead, although my father was still wearing his traditional poker face. After a few moments of thought my father spoke up.
"The whole success of our mission hangs on the element of surprise that we have over Sloane. The instant he knows that we plan to steal the key before he does, he'll move up the time of his mission even if it does mean that he has to face more security. And aside from getting the key, he'll probably be waiting there for us."
My mothers eyes narrowed as she considered the situation carefully.
"Do we have enough time to get more agents over here?"
My father nodded.
"They can send the concorde. But I'm afraid that if Sloane sees us pulling more reinforcements, he'll just turn it into a fire fight. And he is more than willing to sacrifice some of his team to get the artifact."
My mother nods sagely.
"I agree with that. However, that's not quite what I had in mind..."
******** ********
2 Nights Later...
I emerged from my hotel room to find Sark waiting outside for me.
"Ready?"
"As much as I'll ever be. I have to admit I'm not quite so enthusiastic about this plan as my parents are."
"I'm not very happy about being bait either, love. But on the whole it appears to be a sound plan. And you know you're the person I'd most want to be fighting next to."
I smile to myself at this comment. Knowing who Sark is, this is a high compliment indeed. However, my nervousness returns twenty minutes later when we quietly remove the ceiling vent and lower ourselves to the ground in front of the safe.
"That was too quiet. Shouldn't there have been more guards?"
Sark silently nods in agreement.
"Let's just switch the keys and get out of here. I don't like the feeling of this. Watch the doors while I open this."
"That won't be necessary," a voice sounds from the far back door. Sark and I turn to see Sloane staring at us with a smug smile, a gun trained on us.
"My, my, we're getting sloppy, aren't we? Thought you knew exactly what my plan was, didn't you? Or were you relying on your mother to take out my entire team?"
We both stare at Sloane with identical wide-eyed expressions.
"Yes, I already saw Irina. My team has already retrieved her. They are now returning for both of you. So I wouldn't try anything, because I would definitely say I have more backup than you do."
Sark and I both slowly place our hands in the air and face Sloane, waiting for his next direction. Less than half a minute later, his team of eight file in through the door. They are garbed in similar black outfits, masks covering their faces to reveal only their eyes.
"Bind them," Sloane commands, and two members start toward us.
I bite back a smile as a pair of exceedingly familiar green eyes twinkle at me. Our hands are forced behind our backs, but instead of being put in handcuffs, I feel the grip of my gun slide against my palm. In the same instant, both Sark and I, along with Vaughn and Weiss behind us, bring out guns out and level them at Sloane. Startled, he steps back to see my parents, along with the other six members of our team, masks now removed, aiming guns at him. Sloane shakes his head in amazement.
"Sydney, Jack, you never fail to surprise me."
"Your team was probably more surprised," my mother comments quietly.
Sloane shoots her an angry look, shifting uncomfortably as he does so.
"Did you get the real key?" Sark asks.
My father shakes his head.
"We have his entire team in custody. The key wasn't on any of them. Unfortunately, the tranq darts don't wear off for another hour, so we can't question them. But I would assume that you have it," he says, talking to Sloane.
Sloane nods, spreading his arms, in surrender, as I see the metal glinting in his hand. I quickly grab the key away from him as Sark slaps handcuffs on him. I hand the key to my father who smiles grimly at Sloane. He addresses Sark and I.
"We'll take care of the eight members of his team. The local authorities have agreed to house our prisoners until we can get them sent back home. If you two can get Sloane to the police station, we'll be along in an hour or so. I want to make sure all the loose ends are tied up first."
"Yeah, Dad, we'll take Sloane in now. We'll wait at the station in case you need any more help. See you in an hour."
With this we move to the unmarked black van we came in, loading a handcuffed Sloane into the back before driving away.
************ ************
Jack's POV
2 Hours Later
The tranq darts wore off sooner than I expected, leaving the added headache of prisoners who were fully conscious and seriously angry. Worse still, these people were trained to fight back, in or out of handcuffs, and serious time was lost before all the prisoners were loaded into the two remaining vans. As we pulled into the police station, I noticed with some concern that I didn't see the other van here. But when I realized we were almost an hour later than I said we would be, I figured Sydney and Sark had grown tired of waiting and left.
In the station, I recognized an old friend, Emil, who I had met in one of my first years with the CIA. Our conversation soon turned to family, and Emil was shocked at how little Irina had changed in the twenty years since he'd last seen her.
"And your daughter? What is she like now?"
I explained that Sydney had been in earlier, bringing another man who was also in our custody.
"No, this is the first arrest we've processed all night. There hasn't been any girl in here."
Alarms going off in my head, I immediately dial Sydney's cell phone. No one answers. After quickly outlining the situation to Irina, she calls Sark's cell phone. Once again, no one answers. Frustrated, Irina and I turn to each other, unsure of what to do next. Finally we settle for reporting the make, model, and license plate of the van they were driving, then setting out in search of them ourselves as soon as our prisoners are booked. Emil assures us that squad cars on patrol will be told to keep a watch out for them, and Sloane's description will be sent out.
Half an hour later, booking finished, we quickly head for the door, and get in another van, anxious to find what has happened to Sydney and Sark. Despite the fact that I know there are rational explanations for this, horrible scenarios run through my mind. After nearly an hour of retracing the route, we are no closer when my phone rings and Irina answers it for me. I head her quiet and subdued responses, and expect news, but she is silent after hanging up the phone. I turn to see her eyes glinting slightly, her voice unusually soft when she speaks.
"Jack, they've found the van. It's overturned in a watery ditch. There's no one inside."
To Be Continued...