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Chapter Fifteen:
Unforeseen Opponent

"When you arrive at the facility, Agents Weiss and Felds will accompany Derevko inside, under the pretence that they are her security detail.

Agent Vaughn will be running the teams outside. You are not to approach the building until Agent Weiss's signal.Your two priorities are the basement, where Agents Sydney and Jack Bristow are believed to being held and the capture of Sloane and Sark. You are to stay out of sight. We have the advantage of surprise this time and the distraction of Dervko, and these are crucial to the success of this operation.

Sloane's men will not hesitate to respond with lethal force, so be careful and come home."

"How exactly are we going to get inside the building?" Weiss asked on the plane.

"How do you mean?" Vaughn replied.

"Well, Sloane is going to have the place protected. How are we going to get in?" Weiss continued. "Do we have a specific plan, or are we just going to walk in the front door?"

Irina, who was seated opposite the two of them, smiled. "That is the plan."

"What?"

"We're going to walk straight through the front door." Irina explained.

"And how do you plan on doing that without a bullet in the brain?" Weiss asked. "Maybe I'd be better off in the tact team. Where's Adams? Do you think he'd be up for a round of swapsies?" Weiss craned his neck, looking around the aeroplane.

"Weiss!" Vaughn said. "You are going to get in just fine."

"Like the last team? How can you be so sure?"

"Because," Irina spoke up. "You'll be with me."

"Is that supposed to make me feel safe?" Weiss whispered to Vaughn.

"Can I ask you something?" Nadia spoke up quietly. Sydney looked up, intrigued. The two of them had been sitting in silence ever since Nadia had revealed her true name.

"Yeah."

"Why did you come?"

"What do you mean?" Sydney wasn't exactly sure where Nadia was coming from.

"Well, you know my…Sloane." Nadia couldn't bring herself to refer to him as her father. The idea that she was related to a wanted criminal was almost inconceivable. "You knew what he was capable of, yet you still came after him. Why would you put yourself in such danger?"

"My father is here."

"Your father?"

"Yes. Sloane has been keeping him prisoner for almost two years. Up until recently the CIA, and I, believed that he was dead. But when I came back-"

"Wait." Nadia held up a hand. "Came back? From where?"

"I've been in hiding for the past two years."

"Who were you hiding from?" Nadia asked and Sydney couldn't bring herself to answer. She had already devastated Nadia enough, how could she tell her another awful thing about her father.

"It was Sloane, wasn't it?" Nadia prompted, solving Sydney's problem. "He had your father, and the CIA thought he'd go after you next."

"Not just him, his employers, the Alliance."

"So, once again, I ask, why did you come?" Nadia pressed, slightly confused. "I know you wanted to help your father, but surely the CIA could have done that?"

Sydney paused, piecing together her thoughts before answering. "It was a mixture of things that made me come, but for the most part it was guilt."

"Guilt?"

"Yes. Dad has spent the past two years suffering for our deception of the Alliance, while I have lived a safe, and relatively happy life. I couldn't just sit back and do nothing like the CIA wanted me to. I had to do something." Sydney stopped, her throat feeling tight. "I felt I owed it to him."

"You came behind the CIA's back?"

"Yes."

"So you're…we're on our own?"

"No." Sydney shook her head. "They should know where I am by now. They'll be coming, I promise."

"This is Boy Scout. All teams are in position. Proceed with entry. Teams, stand by for signal."

From his position in the shadows, Vaughn watched as Weiss, Irina and Agent Felds approached the facility. His heart was pounding. If everything went to plan, well, then soon Sydney would be home. For good this time.

Down by the gates, Irina signalled that they should stop. Before Weiss or Felds could question her motives, she pointed upwards to a security camera.

"That, Mr Weiss, is how we are going to get in without a bullet in the brain."

"Sir." Sark approached Sloane, who was seated on the couch in his office. "It appears that we have a guest."

"Who?"

"Irina Derevko, with two associates."

Sloane stood abruptly. "I want Sydney and my daughter moved to Room 47. Keep them safely hidden."

"Jack Bristow too?"

"No, keep him where he is."

"And what shall we do about Ms Derevko?"

"Have the guards escort her and her men into here. It's been a long time since I've seen her. I think a hospitable welcome would be appropriate."

Weiss and Felds walked slightly behind Irina as a couple of Sloane's goons led them into the building.

"In here." One of them pointed to a door at the end of the hallway. "Mr Sloane will be waiting for you."

As he walked into the room, unbeknownst to Irina, who believed they were going to signal the teams outside through their comms, Weiss silently pressed a button the side of his watch. It was game time.

Outside Vaughn's own watch beeped three times. Irina, Weiss and Felds were in.

"This is Boy Scout. All teams go to enter the building. I repeat, all teams go to enter the building."

Jack opened his eyes just in time to see a familiar figure being dragged past his cell. His heart in his throat, he leapt up.

"Sydney!" he called, but he was too late. The corridor was empty.

Through the thick haze that was occupying Sydney's mind, she thought she heard someone call out her name, but she couldn't be sure.

What she could be sure of, however, was that the wait Sloane had been talking about was over. A few minutes ago, four men had entered her cell and injected her and Nadia with something.

Something that made it impossible to fight back. And now she was being dragged to god knows where, so Sloane could solve the puzzle he'd been chasing for years.

Time was running out and Sydney couldn't help but let her mind fill with desperation. Where the hell was the CIA?

"Irina," Sloane smiled and stood up as she entered the office, two men following close behind. "I'm glad you made it."

"I wouldn't have missed this for the world." Irina smiled back as she approached the desk. Weiss's stomach jolted slightly at these words. Irina wouldn't have missed what? What happened to the plan of convincing Sloane that she was The Chosen One?

"You're late."

Irina shrugged. "I ran into a few difficulties. Is everything in place?"

"Yes." Sloane replied, reaching into his desk drawer.

"Wha-" Weiss was cut off when Sloane pulled a gun from the drawer and fired three shots into the chest of Agent Felds. He then aimed at Weiss.

"No." Irina stopped him. "He is a friend of Sydney's. I don't want him dead."

Weiss stared at her incredulously. "You're a part of this? You've been working with Sloane the whole time?" How?"

Irina stood in front of him. "Some things, Mr Weiss, you are better off not knowing." Then with a swift punch she knocked him unconscious. "Secure him," she said to the guards and then turned to face Sloane. "Now Arvin, I would appreciate it if you would take me to my daughters."

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