Author's Note: Thanks to the Fantastic Reviews from everyone. WOW you guys are keeping me going! Thank you!

Thanks so much to Scarlett for beta reading this. Wouldn't have made it this far without you girl!

Disclaimer: I don't own Sheldon Jeffory Sands or any other character from Once Upon A Time In Mexico. They belong to their respected creators. I just let them come and play. ;)

Chapter Six

She balanced the sleeping three year old on her right hip as she slipped the key into the lock and turned the knob. In the outside world, beyond the hallway, it was pouring. Inside, all was quiet and by the look of things, also a complete mess. Cerise shook her head. She'd never been the neatest person.

As she pulled the key from the lock and nudged the door closed, she flipped on the foyer light and looked around the living room. The furniture arrangement hadn't changed from the last time she was here. She wasn't entirely sure WHY she hadn't just gone back to her own apartment after picking Lily up from Mac's. Instead, she'd made the trip, out of the way, to stop and visit Sands' apartment.

Cerise carried Lily through the living room and the hallway, back towards the master bedroom as the sound of thunder rumbled overhead. She didn't bother with the lamp on the bedside table, as she sat down on the queen size bed, pulling back the black comforter. She inhaled, capturing the scent of him still in the room and, to her at least, it was comforting.

She laid Lily down in the middle of the bed and smoothed back her daughter's dark brown hair, before leaning down and kissing her on the forehead. Tucking the blanket around Lily, Cerise glanced about the bedroom. Everything was the way she remember it. In the corner, near the French doors which led to the balcony, sat an old, worn Spanish guitar.

While she allowed her mind to wander, her fingers slipped under Sands' pillow and found his 9 mm. She smiled lightly and pulled the firearm out, automatically checking the clip in reflex.

She placed the gun on the nightstand, along with her cell phone, before getting up and moving back through the apartment. She took care to locked every door and window. Particularly the deadbolt, because it couldn't be unlocked from the outside. She also latched the security chain. Better safe than sorry. She shut off the foyer light and headed back to the bedroom. Shimmying out of her jeans, she slipped into the bed next to Lily and lay there a long moment before shutting her eyes.

She hadn't even had a chance to shut her eyes when her cell phone rang. Cerise groaned and let it ring a few times before rolling out of bed and grabbing it. She sat up on the edge of the bed and answered. "What?"

"We've got major problems..." It was Rick.

"What problems?" Cerise asked, yawning.

"Matinieze is dead."

Cerise was instantly awake. "How?! WHEN?!"

"About two hours ago. Car bomb," Rick answered simply.

"Fuck! Fuck, Fuck, FUCK!" Cerise yelled in anger. Matinieze was one of the last connections the team had to prove Sands didn't go rouge against the Agency. "He was supposed to be coming back to the States, what happened?!" Cerise demanded.

"He was... he was on his way to the airport." Rick said flatly.

"Do you have any idea what this means, Rick?!" Cerise asked anxiously.

"Yeah...we're all going to be investigated now, for our connection with Sands... the bastard."

Rick and Sands had never really gotten along, Cerise understood that, but a sharp fury was starting to build in her, and if she heard Rick speak of Sands like that one more time she was sure she was going to burst. "Lay off, Rick."

"Yeah, yeah. Look, you tell Sarah. I've got to go give my report. The entire HQ here in Mexico knows." Rick hung up with that.

"Fuck!" Cerise snapped again. The whimper from the bed caught her attention, and when she glanced down, she found Lily looking up at her. "It's all right lambkin," Cerise reassured softly, stroking the child's hair. Lily yawned and curled up around the teddy bear she was holding. Cerise watched her for a minute, then got up, moving to the French doors and slipping onto the balcony with her cell phone in hand.

After dialing Sarah's number, Cerise let the line continue to ring on the other end, knowing Sarah had to go downstairs to answer her phone. A few rings later, Sarah's sleepy voice came over the line. "I won't be going to debrief duty in the morning," Cerise informed her softly, leaning on the wrought iron railing.

"Why, what's wrong?!" Sarah asked from her end.

"Matinieze is dead... car bomb, on the way to the airport." She heard Sarah gasp. "Sarah, how hard is it for someone to get a hold of a 201 File?"

"You can only do that if you have the proper clearance... why?"

"Alright...and Matinieze would have had the proper clearance to get a hold of Sands' 201, wouldn't he?"

"Of course, Matinieze was Sands' superior officer... what are you getting at, Cerise?"

"Sarah, how hard would it be for YOU to get a hold of a 201 file?"

Sarah sat in her dark smoking area for a long moment, silent, before answering.

"I could pull a few strings...why?"

"Could you copy it?"

"If I had the microfilm..."

"And if I got you the microfilm?"

Sarah was slowly catching on. "Then it would be pie."

"Right... right. I'll have the microfilm for you today."

She hung up with Sarah, drummed her fingers on the railing a moment, then dialed a second number. It wasn't the first time she'd had to turn to this person, and Cerise had the feeling it wouldn't be the last. The woman had always said, whenever Cerise needed her, to just call.

"Sorry to wake you Ruth, but I was wondering if I could bring Lily over for a little while. I've got some... business for the Company, and well, I just don't want to leave her with a babysitter."

"No problem at all, I'm always eager to see my great grandbaby."

Cerise smiled a little, looking down at the pool. She'd hate to imagine what Sands would do if he found out Cerise was in contact with his grandmother. "Thanks Ruth. We'll be there soon."

Sarah paced the smoking area as the storm petered down to a damp drizzle. Finishing off her cigarette she turned to see Cerise coming out with a small black bag. "I don't do action well, Cerise!" Sarah said, trying not to sound desperate.

"It's simple, Sarah." Cerise said softly, dropping the black bag on the patio table next to her. She unzipped it, and handed Sarah a micro camera. "You're heading for the Records Library. I've already gotten you a pass from Ethane." She slid a laminated card across the table towards Sarah. "That camera can be concealed in your bra, I suggest you do just that." Sarah blushed, looking at the thin, credit card size camera.

"This is no more then a smoking bolts operation."

"But that's what you and Sands do best!" Sarah said.

Cerise gave Sarah a confident smile. "I can't exactly pull this off right now. Don't worry, I'll be with Sheldon. All YOU have to do is get pictures of those files for me."

"What am I looking for?"

"Any sign, any indication that someone is trying to frame him."

"I can think of a few people..." Sarah muttered, pocketing the camera.

"As can I...but Sands life may depend on this..." Cerise said softly.

Sarah sighed. "All right. Wish me luck."

"Good luck."

Sarah gave Cerise a quick hug before heading through the door. Cerise watched her go, before dropping into a near by chair and crying.

After a moment, she wiped the tears away, took out her cell phone and dialed.

"Tim Foley speaking."

This was going to be hell.

"Hey Tim, it's Cerise. Look, can you do me a favor? I have Debrief duty today, but something's come up and I was wondering if you could take my place."

"Depends on what's come up," Tim answered.

Cerise was prepared to lie. "Lily's come down with a bout of the flu and I can't get a babysitter. Honestly, I don't want to leave her with one while she's this sick anyway."

"Ah... alright. I'll take your place on one condition, Cerise. You go out with me this Saturday."

Cerise sighed, Tim Foley was ALWAYS out to get Cerise in bed with him. Most people who knew her, knew she had a daughter, but very few people knew who the father was. In fact, only the team and those she'd served under knew the truth, though the Company wasn't without their rumors.

"Tim..."

"Aww... Come on Cerise, just dinner. That's the only way I'm going to do this for you today."

"Alright, Saturday, IF Lily is feeling better."

"Fair enough."

She hung up before he could say anything else. She didn't want to hear it. As far as she was concerned, Lily would still be sick Saturday as well.

Ethane Danders was currently working in Archival Records. "Stone owes me," he said, looking at Sarah as he led her down the hall to a sign that read 'Authorized Personal Only'.

"Yes, I think she knows that," Sarah said softly.

"You've only got twenty minutes, I don't want to have to be answering any questions to my superiors."

"Fair enough," Sarah said quietly. Ethane unlocked the door, revealing a large room filled with filing cabinets from floor to ceiling.

"Know what you're looking for?" Ethane asked.

"Yep," Sarah nodded stepping into the room.

"All right. Twenty minutes, Darcy." Sarah nodded again and headed straight for the back of the room.

Sarah began going through the files under S. Within a few minutes she found Sands file, which was quite thick. She didn't know EXACTLY what she was looking for, but when she was sure it was safe, she slid the micro camera from her bra, and began taking pictures of as many of the pages as she could. To her it looked standard. There was even a couple paragraphs on Cerise and Lily, but she did note his Psychological profile. She took careful time to photograph these pages.

"Doesn't play well with others," she muttered, shaking her head. Nice bold letters spelled out, 'Severe Trust Issues'.

"You're telling me..." She said to herself, snapping another photograph.

She frowned suddenly. There were pages missing. The file jumped from 27 to 36 without a trace of the pages in between. She scanned the page before and after and it looked standard. So what was wrong? She sighed and closed the folder, shoving it back in the file drawer and closing it. Checking her watch, she moved to the next filing cabinet and pulled out Cerise's file. Again, some pages where missing. Sarah made note of this and put the file back.

She had five minutes to check her own. Quickly she found her file and flipped through it. Standard, but some pages where missing. She heard footsteps and shut the file closed, slipping it back into its spot and slamming the drawer closed. She left the room quickly, turning off the light and closing the door behind her.

As she moved down the hall, she saw three Special Branch agents talking to Ethane and tried not to panic. Slipping into a side room, she pulled a cover stop, and stood near the door, trying to listen to as much as she could. A few minutes later, the three officers were moving down the hall towards the archival room. "Shit...shit, shit, shit," Sarah cursed softly, pulling out her cell phone. She sent Cerise a text message. Two words. Safe House. Sarah had the feeling she'd have to disappear for the rest of the day... lay low. When she was sure she could get away, she slipped out of the room and headed for the elevators. Ethane was no where to be seen.

He could hear the drill, the metallic buzz it made growing ever closer. He was struggling, but his efforts were in vain. Restraints held him to the table, and someone's gloved hands where holding his head in place. He wondered briefly if it was Ajedrez. God, he hated that bitch! It was her fault that this was happening to him! The sound was getting closer, and he begged. A dead nerve inside of him knew it was no use, but still he begged. Then the pain began. A curtain of red blinded him and the pain steadily grew. He begged, he cried, he screamed. All fell on deaf ears, and the pain never ceased.

Sands came to, jerking up from the bed, breathing hard, a cold sweat running down his face. He suddenly realized he was being restrained. He began fighting, trying to tear himself away from whoever held him. "Let me go!" he cried, in a panicked voice.

"Sheldon Jeffery Sands!" A voice broke through.