Chapter 14Allison sat down on in the seat of the airplane headed for Los Angeles. The lady next to her smiled. "So what are you going to LA for?"
"Business."
"Really? What do you do?"
"I'm a personal representative for a large group of people."
"Sounds like fun."
"Sometimes it can be a cutthroat field," Allison said to the old lady.
"What's your name?"
"Alice," Allison told her.
"What's this?" Vaughn asked walking through the kitchen.
"It's the seating arrangement for the wedding."
Vaughn studied it carefully.
"You aren't inviting very many people. Why?"
"Let's see," Sydney started. "Francie is dead; Will is dead; Mom is in US custody; Dad is sitting right here; Charlie is a lying, cheating jerk; Jenny and Will broke up early last year; and our co-workers are green, the neutral color."
"What about extended relatives?"
"What about them?"
"Doesn't Irina have sisters?"
"Yes, Katya and Yelena."
"Why aren't you inviting them?"
"I have no means of contacting them."
"What about family on your Dad's side?"
"Grandpa and Grandma both died when I was 4. Jason and Dad don't get along…"
"Jason?"
"My uncle. I've only met him once."
"Don't you have anyone else you can invite?"
"If it weren't for my job, I'd have plenty of people to invite." Vaughn could see that Sydney was about to start crying again.
"It's okay," he said, trying to console her.
"No, it's not okay. All of my friends…" Sydney trailed off, looking at Vaughn. "Most of my friends are dead."
"Things will get better."
"When?"
Vaughn didn't have an honest answer.
The plane landed. Allison walked out of the airport carrying her carry-on. Getting into a cab, she gave the driver Alice's address.
When they arrived, Allison paid the driver and snuck around back where she picked the lock and let herself in. Taking a seat in the living room, Allison waited for Alice to return home.
She didn't have to wait long. A silenced gunshot sounded, and Allison reentered Sydney and Vaughn's lives.
Kendall approached Irina. "You were granted a month extension with the intelligence you provided us about the disk. That month is almost over. Is there something else you'd like to tell us?"
"I have a daughter."
"We already know that."
"I'm not talking about Sydney."
"Then who are you talking about?"
"Grant me another extension and I'll tell you."
"This intelligence doesn't affect national security."
"Guess again," Irina told him.
Jack stared at the TV screen in shock. Laura had another kid? He wondered. Why didn't she mention it before?
In the cover of night, Allison drug Alice's body out into the back yard and buried her underneath of the carrots. Going back inside and cleaning up, Allison prepared for her encounter with Sydney the next day.
…TBC…