DISCLAIMER:I own jack.
AUTHORS NOTE: Thank you to C J Tiesto, MartinaCruz and trojangymnast08 for the reviews. Nice to know someone is reading this.
She had woken with a head full of clay.
She'd cried herself into a deep but restless sleep yet again.
Her exhaustion had become a comfort to her, reminding her she was after all still human if nothing more.
She was early into the A.P.O offices and headed straight for a coffee hit. This early there was only ever a couple of people around. Mostly people whose names she had never bothered to learn, not from any sense of arrogance but as a measure of self-protection. People who got too close to her always got hurt.
In a way, despite her abject loneliness she was glad that Weiss and the Finkman's had moved, it meant they were safely away from her curse.
She'd had several e-mails from Marshall and Weiss called at least once a week, In every reply she'd skirted any important issues, Made them feel better with their choices. She knew Weiss was worried about her but she painted on a happy face and let him think she was fine.
An hour later she sat in a briefing, Sloane running over the upcoming mission to Valencia.
"This man is Adan Delgado, He has recently come into possession of information of great threat to national security." Sloane glanced briefly at the image of Delgado giving them all a chance to memorize the face, even though they would have that information in the files in front of them.
Delgado looked around mid thirties, had brooding Spanish features and was handsome in a generic and understated way.
He reminded Sydney of one of the soccer stars that Nadia had pointed out once as they had watched a match whilst in London, a small afternoon distraction from their usually busy assignments.
The thought of Nadia in happy times distracting her momentarily Sydney had missed Sloane starting to talk again, he hadn't seemed to notice her lack of attention so she simply tried to fill in the blanks as he carried on.
"Delgado will be attending a charity ball in two days at the Valencian Institute of Modern Art. We believe he will be meeting a buyer here to make the exchange. Sydney, you and Aiden (Brookes) will be going in as representatives of an American conglomerate interested in making a hefty donation to said charity, which Delgado happens to be the director of. When you meet with Delgado you will get close enough to retrieve the information. Which he keeps on his person in the form of a chip hidden inside a silver cigarette case." Sloane clicked onto a close up of the Silver cigarette case in Delgado's hands as he extracted a cigarette.
" Francis" Sloane motioned to the new op-tech guy. He was the similar socially awkward type who seemed to fill these positions, but even if he was a very close second to Marshall in ability she found herself unable to grant him the same patience and friendly acceptance it had always been so easy to offer Marshall.
It was a simple assignment she found herself drifting in and out of the briefing whilst casually observing Brookes from the corner of her eye.
"Okay, any questions?" Sloane voice broke into her hazy meandering thoughts. His attention suddenly on her.
"No seems straight forward enough" she smiled sweetly as if she had been listening to everything.
"okay then that's all" Everybody Started to break of into their own spaces and conversations. filtering out of the room slowly.
She headed for the door.
"Sydney, A Word?" Sloane cut her off at the pass waiting for the room to clear she returned to her seat.
"How are you doing? "the concern in his voice unnerved her she neither wanted or needed concern from Arvin Sloane.
"I'm fine" She snapped staring him down with little effect.
"Sydney, You're father was the closest thing to a friend I had I feel his loss everytime I enter these offices or sit at this table." She felt her rage fighting to be set free.She keep it tightly reined in.
"You haven't taken any time off to grieve, Once this mission is over I want you to take a few weeks off,You are exhausted" His voice dripped with honey coated sympathy.
"I don't need any time off" she stated, her own voice thick with venom.
"it wasn't a request Sydney" He stated calmly.
She knew arguing would accheive nothing.' Great time of to sit and think' just what she didn't need
"anything else ?"Her tone was dismissive .
"No that's all" He replied wearily.
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:) Raven