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Disclaimer: I do not own Alias, or thedialogue I "borrowed" :)

Chapter Twelve:
A Partnership and Predicament

TWO YEARS EARLIER

Sark turned to Sloane in the back of the ambulance. "Here's the situation. Rambaldi's true aim is a puzzle. I have certain pieces you have others. Separately we'll never solve his mystery, but together, we cannot fail."

Sloane was doubtful. "How do I know you have anything real to offer?"

"I can prove myself in three ways. The first is obvious. I intercepted communications indicating that there would be an assassination attempt on your life. As this conversation proves I've prevented that."

Sloane smiled briefly. "How do I know you didn't plan the attempt in the first place?"

"Which brings me to my second and third pieces of information." Sark replied. "You are a true follower of Rambaldi. I trust you have heard rumours of The Prophecy."

"I have."

"What if I were to tell you that I know exactly what was written and the identity of The Chosen One."

Sloane's eyes widened with a slight pique of interest. "You're third point?"

Sark couldn't help but let a small smile cross his lips as he handed Arvin Sloane a piece of paper. After reading what had been written, there was no way Sloane would decline his offer.

Sloane stared at the piece of paper on his desk. A list of ten names. Ten aliases- all belonging to the one remarkable woman.

What was her name? What were her likes? Dislike? Had she inherited her mother's incredible strength?

Just exactly, who was his daughter?

"Vaughn, what the hell is going on?" Weiss asked, as he barrelled into the conference room. "What is the big emergency?"

"Just wait until Kendall gets here. I'll tell you then." Vaughn replied.

Lucky for Weiss, he did not have to wait long. A few seconds later, Kendall strode through the door. "What is it Agent Vaughn? This had better be important."

"Sir, it is my belief that Sydney knows the exact location of Arvin Sloane and her father."

"What? How do you know this?" Kendall demanded.

"Will Tippin called me with some suspicions. I went around to her apartment to try and convince her to give her intel over to the CIA."

"Did she tell you where Sloane is?"

"No." Vaughn shook his head, as he held up the letter that Sydney had left him. "But before she left, she wrote this. It's encoded, but I believe it to be co-ordinates to his location."

"Wait." Kendall held up a hand. "Before she left? Are you telling me, Agent Vaughn, that Sydney Bristow has gone after Sloane herself?"

"That is my belief, yes." Vaughn replied. Weiss, who was standing slightly behind Kendall, stared at Vaughn, his eyes wide and concerned.

"And you just let her go!" The Director exclaimed.

"Um, yes…no, I didn't just let her go. I didn't know she was gone until-" Vaughn stopped short, thinking frantically.

"Until what, Agent Vaughn?" Kendall asked, clearly unimpressed.

"Until I got out of the bathroom." Vaughn answered, lamely. "I, uh, went to the bathroom and when I came out, Sydney was gone."

"Just like that?" Kendall said. Vaughn nodded, trying to avoid Weiss's stare. "Give me the letter."

Vaughn handed it over and Kendall skimmed over it before giving it back.

"Get that down to analysis," he ordered, before exiting.

Vaughn went to leave too. The sooner analysis had the letter; the sooner they could go after Sydney. Weiss, however, had other thoughts.

"Mike," he hissed. "I had twenty bucks on this week. Please tell me I won the bet."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Vaughn said, heading to the door, hearing Weiss's laughter behind him.

"Give me some credit. The bathroom? Saw right through it, Mike! Saw right through it."

The building was huge and to anyone else it would have appeared abandoned. However, as Sydney sat in the shadows, waiting, she knew that somewhere inside were her father, Sloane and the sister she never knew existed.

Glancing at her watch, she saw that she still had about two hours before it was safe to approach.

"Last time I conversed with Sloane, he had the guards rotating shifts every three hours." Pollack said, inhaling on his cigarette. "Your best entry point would be the door on the far end of the south side of the building. It's marked with a No Entry sign."

As Sydney waited she tried her best to ignore the annoying voice in the back of her mind that had been there since meeting Pollack. It kept telling her that she couldn't trust him. After all, it had been Irina who sent her to him and what did she have to gain from doing that?

But Sydney just pushed these thoughts aside. This just may be the only chance she's have to find her father.

"Agent Vaughn." He looked up to see Kendall approaching his desk.

"Yes." Vaughn stood up.

"I'm just letting you know that analysis got done with Agent Bristow's note. It appears that she is headed to Switzerland. A team has already been briefed and is on their way now."

"What?" Vaughn was put out. Surely he should have been part of the team. "Why wasn't I told before?"

"Because," Kendall answered as if it were the most obvious fact in the world. "You didn't need to know until now. You forget, Agent Vaughn, that you are no longer Agent Bristow's handler. You have no authority when it comes to her."

"But we know where she is because of me. Surely that deserves some recog-"

"You deserve nothing, Agent Vaughn." Kendall interrupted forcefully. "Now, I told you as a courtesy and would appreciate if you treated me the same and continued with your job."

Sydney glanced at her watch. It was time. Slowly she made her way to the far door, all of her senses heightened and alert.

Opening the door, she quietly looked in, he gun clasped securely in her hand. Inside was clear and so she proceeded, step by step, her eyes constantly moving, not wanting to miss a thing.

Pollack had given her an idea of where he believed Sloane would be imprisoning Jack. He stressed that it was only an idea, that he had only ever seen Sloane's office.

"When you get inside, travel to the end of the hallway. At the end there should be a door on your right. Go through that- it will lead to a flight of stairs. Go down them, they will lead you to the basement."

"And that's where you think they'll be?"

Pollack shrugged. "If I were keeping prisoners, that's where I would put them."

Sydney was approaching the door at the end of the hallway when she sensed someone was behind her. Instinctively, she whipped around, but not quick enough. Something hard connected with the side of her skull and everything went black.

A/N: Just a little note to let you all know that there is only five more chapters to go...