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Chapter Sixteen:
A Betrayal Unveiled

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 now 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."

Previously…

Sloane's eyes widened with a slight pique of interest. "Your 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.

Dear Arvin,

There is a time and place for a full explanation, however this letter is not it. What I am about to reveal to you is crucial to gaining a full understanding of Rambaldi's true aim.

If you are reading this I know that you have spoken to my associate and he has offered you a business proposal. I do hope you consider joining us in our quest to knowing Rambaldi.

But first there are two things you need to know. The first is the identity of The Chosen One. Sloane, she is Sydney. My daughter is the woman that Rambaldi prophesised to bring forth his works.

The second refers to a woman that Rambaldi refers to as The Passenger. The exact purpose of her is still not completely clear, but together, with Sark, I am sure that you will be able to solve her mystery.

It is imperative that you find The Passenger, Arvin, for she is not just a link to Rambaldi. She is a link to you, a link between the two of us. Arvin, she is our daughter.

Sark has all the information that I have gathered on her. If you should choose to join our partnership, I have asked for him to share it with you.

I wait to hear of your decision,

Irina.

Vaughn was panicking slightly. As they were entering the facility Weiss's comms had dropped out. He hoped to god that it was a malfunction on the equipment's behalf, because, well, he couldn't bear to think of another possibility.

Stealthily, he navigated the dark corridors, the members of his team staggered behind him. Their run had been smooth so far, but there was no way Vaughn would allow himself the luxury of relaxing.

"Alpha team, this is Bravo team. Do you read?"

"Go ahead Bravo team." Vaughn said, his eyes trained on the doorway at the end of the corridor. That should be the one to lead to the basement.

"Have encountered four tango."

"Any casualties?"

"Total on their behalf, zero on ours."

"Ok, we're at our destination. Will report back soon."

The door was open when Vaughn and the team got there, and the stairwell down, while dark, appeared to be empty.

With a gesture of his hand, they moved forward.

When the haze faded from Sydney's mind, she realized that she was tied to a chair, in an expansive room, Nadia beside her.

As her eyes focused Sydney's heart plummeted. Weiss was there, crumpled and unconscious on the floor, bound by a rope. However, apart from that the room was empty. No sign of Sloane, or Sark or anybody else.

As Sydney struggled against her restraints, her eyes never left Weiss. If he was here, then that meant Vaughn was here as well. Her throat constricted, and she inhaled shakily. The vision of Vaughn lying somewhere in the building, injured, or worse circled in her mind.

Nadia watched silently as the expression on Sydney's face grew more and more desperate.

"Sydney." She spoke quietly.

Sydney turned to her, her face pale. "Yeah."

"Do you know him?" Nadia nodded towards Weiss.

Sydney nodded, but didn't get a chance to answer. The door opposite them swung open and Sloane walked in, followed by Sark and…Irina.

Sydney's eyes widened with shock as her mother leant in and whispered in Sloane's ear.

"What are you doing here?" she blurted out without thinking. What was Irina Derevko doing out of her cell and why the hell was she standing here with Sloane?

Irina smiled mysteriously. "You'll see, Sydney."

"Vaughn!" One of the agents called out. "Over here."

Vaughn, followed by two other men, ran over. There, seated in the confines of a small cell, was Jack Bristow.

"Jack!" Vaughn tried desperately to force the door open.

"Don't bother." Jack said, his voice weary. "It's an electronic lock. Sloane has the only key."

"Where's Sydney?" Vaughn asked.

"I don't know. I didn't even know she was here until I saw her being dragged past here, half-unconscious."

"How long ago?"

"A little under an hour."

"Do you have any idea where Sloane would've taken her?"

Jack shook his head. "This cell is the only room I have seen."

Vaughn went to speak but was cut off by a voice over his comms.

"Alpha team, this is Bravo team. Have made positive sighting of Sloane."

"Location?"

"West end of basement. Room marked 47."

"On our way." Vaughn said, looking at Jack. The older man nodded slightly and Vaughn motioned for the other team members to follow.

"Are the CIA in the building yet?" Sloane asked Irina.

"No, he didn't have a chance to signal his mate outside." Irina motioned towards Weiss. "So, when do we go?"

"The helicopter is waiting. The Rambaldi formula is waiting for us at our destination." Sloane replied. "There is also a surgeon waiting for Sydney's procedure."

These words echoed in Sydney's mind as she stared at her mother.

Irina, feeling Sydney's gaze, looked over. "Yes, Sydney?"

"All this time." Sydney breathed. "All this time you've been working with him. You planned this, didn't you?"

Irina approached her daughter. "Sydney." She leaned in, her voice quiet. "One day you will understand my reasons."

Sydney face hardened as she stared directly into her mother's eyes. "I doubt it."

Irina simply smiled as she straightened up. "Arvin, I think that it's time we go."

But they did not get a chance to leave, because at that second all hell broke loose.

"Could I get a coffee, May?" Georgie asked as she sat herself at the counter.

"Sure thing." A minute later a steaming mug was placed in front of Georgie.

"Thanks."

"So," the older woman started. "Have you heard from Audrey lately?"

Georgie was thankful that she had just taken a mouthful of drink. It gave her a second to think about her answer. "Uh, not lately. Why?"

"I was just thinking about the poor lass."

"Poor lass?"

"Yeah. Just having to up and leave everything."

"Well, her aunt was very sick." Georgie replied.

"Hmm." May propped her elbows on the bench, her head resting in her hands. "Must be awful, stuck looking after a sick relative. I tell you, our Audie must be having a right old boring time."

Sydney and Nadia sat helpless, unable to move against their restraints as a mass of armed people entered the room.

Without hesitating Sloane hit a button on the wall, and soon Sloane's own men were running in, from another door, on the other side of the room. The noise was deafening as the sound of gunfire echoed off the cavernous walls.

Sydney sat, with her head down in a vain attempt of protection. She lost track of time, and even when the sounds of bullets whizzing by stopped, she still sat head down.

That was until someone knelt in front of her, loosening her restraints.

"Vaughn!"

"You ok?" he asked. Sydney nodded as something caught her attention. Quick as a flash, with her free hand, Sydney reached over to Vaughn's gun holster, pulled out a pistol and fired off three shots.

Vaughn turned and saw two of Sloane's men falling to the floor. Turning back to Sydney, he grinned. "Thanks."

With both her hands free, Sydney, almost unconsciously, cupped Vaughn's face as she whispered. "You're welcome." The moment was interrupted when Sydney suddenly gasped. "Sloane!" Her eyes scanning the debris in the room. "He's gone."

"He went that way." Nadia spoke up, her head monitoring to a door on her left.

Sydney, her legs now free from restraint, jumped up and began freeing Nadia.

"No." Nadia said forcefully. "Leave me, I'll be fine. Go after Sloane." Sydney hesitated. "Go!"

With Vaughn following and his pistol in her hand, Sydney sprinted off through the door.

On the floor Weiss was slowly coming to. His vision blurry, he spotted a woman constrained to a chair. Sydney? No, her hair was too dark.

He opened and closed his eyes a few times, to try and clear his eyes, but the effort was in vain.

He tried to move, but something stopped him. Someone elsewas there.

Sydney and Vaughn ran down what appeared to be a passage of some sort. As they continued along, the ground beneath their feet started to ascend and the tunnel grew more and more light.

Both Sydney and Vaughn realized that the passage must have been an escape route of some sort- the light being caused by daybreak. At this realization, they hastened their steps.

The tunnel ended abruptly at a wall with a ladder attached. Above Sydney could hear the whir of a helicopter, and she could feel her heart pounding in her ears. She couldn't let Sloane or her mother get away, she just couldn't.

Reaching the top of the ladder, Sydney hoisted herself up onto the ground. In front, the helicopter was already well into the air, and she could see Sloane and Sark seated in the back.

In a last desperate attempt Sydney fired, but it was no use. She was too late.

"Syd." Vaughn placed a hand on her shoulder.

Sydney whirled around. "My mother. Did you see my mother?"

"Last time I saw her she was approaching the building with Weiss and Felds."

Sydney stared at Vaughn, totally confounded. "With Weiss?"

"Yeah. She's working with us, to help bring you and your father home."

"No." Sydney shook her head, as Vaughn watched her confused. "I don't think she is, Vaughn."

"What are you talking about?"

Quickly Sydney explained what had happened. "She was working with Sloane."

"How do you know it wasn't an act?"

"I don't." Sydney admitted. "But-" Suddenly Sydney stopped short. "Nadia, we have to get back to her."

When Sydney and Vaughn got back to Room 47, she ran across to Nadia's chair, but it was empty.

"She's gone Vaughn." Sydney's shoulders slumped.

"But who?"

"Irina," a weak voice croaked from the other side of the room. Weiss. "She took her. She was working with Sloane all the time. She knocked me out. She took her Syd. They're gone," he said, struggling to sit up.

Sydney turned to Vaughn. "You still think she was putting on an act?"

Then against her will, Sydney felt her eyes well up. As Vaughn wrapped his arms around her, Sydney began to sob. Her mother had betrayed the CIA. Betrayed her. And now as a result, the life of the sister she had never had the chance to know was in danger.