A/N: Wow, I can't believe I'm saying this but here's my first post for this story for 2006! Damn, I've been bad. Busy, all in the same, but still. Well, you'll all be happy to know that I put in a valiant effort for updating my stories. I stayed up till 2am to finish this one and consequently skipped an 8am class. Oh well, but I hope you enjoy. Thanks again for all who have reviewed and all who have been patient enough to continue to review. It means a lot to me!

Previously on Alias: Dixon is in the hospital but Sark and Lauren are now in CIA custody. Irina and Nadia have a meet with Nassir Valijera for the Rambaldi serum and Jack is determined to find out what Irina has planned.

Chapter 29

"I've got an update for you."

"Go ahead."

"They're on their way to see me."

"I see."

"I take it I don't have to tell you why."

"No, I understand. How long?"

"The meeting's tonight, I assume they'll be here in four hours."

"Thank you."

"Are you going after them?"

"That's not your concern. Keep me updated."

29292929

Sydney's heels clicked as she walked down the tiled hospital floor towards Dixon's room. Vaughn walked beside her. They reached Dixon's room just as Weiss was leaving.

"Hey, how's he doing?" Sydney asked as soon as she saw him.

"He's okay. A few bruised ribs and a minor concussion. He'll be here overnight for observation. Thank God for vests, right?" Weiss stated as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Sydney gave him a small smile as she walked past Weiss and into the room. "Hey," Sydney stated as she walked over to the bed.

"Hey," Dixon returned with a small smile.

"How you feeling?" Sydney asked.

"Like I'm ready to get outta here. Little achy, but other than that, I'm fine. Congratulations on capturing Lauren and Sark."

Sydney nodded. "What's our next move?"

Dixon eyed Vaughn as he entered the room. "Question the prisoners."

"I'll do it," Vaughn volunteered immediately.

Dixon shook his head, expecting such an answer. "No, I don't think that's a good idea."

"You don't have a lot of agents here to pick from, Dixon," Vaughn argued. "Who else are you going to send, Weiss? They talk more when they have something to be afraid of. Let me talk to them."

Dixon looked Vaughn straight in the eyes, while Sydney watched both of them. She didn't like the thirst she saw in Vaughn's eyes. The desire for revenge burned in a way that no words could explain. Before her was a person she'd never seen before, and she didn't like.

"Alright," Dixon finished. "You will question, Lauren," Dixon said to Vaughn. "Sydney, you take Sark. Find out what they know about Nadia's location. Do what you have to do, but don't go overboard. Retain some control," Dixon said cryptically. They both knew what he didn't say. He sanctioned the usage of physical torture to get the information they needed.

"Dixon—" Sydney said with doubt.

"Thank you, Sir," Vaughn said curtly, interrupting her and turning to leave the room. Sydney gave a why-did-you-okay-beatings look before hurrying out of the room to go after Vaughn.

"Vaughn, this is not a good idea. If you face Lauren—"

Vaughn stopped in mid stride and did an about face. The abruptness caught Sydney off-guard as she hastily came to a stop as well. "Do you want to find Nadia?"

"Vaughn—"

"Do you want to find your sister?" Vaughn asked, emphasizing their relationship, hoping to play on her emotions.

"Of course, I do, but that doesn't make it right for you to face Lauren on your own. Lauren's not likely to talk and you know it," Sydney said searching Vaughn's eyes, but he wouldn't look at her. "She betrayed all of us, Vaughn. Beating her up isn't going to make you feel better."

"She didn't betray you in the same way. You didn't marry her," Vaughn argued. In any other situation, Sydney might have laughed. There was more than one reason why they weren't married, but no lining of humor was meant to soften his words. Vaughn had been betrayed and there was nothing funny about that.

Sydney wanted to point out the few differences between what Lauren did to Vaughn and what Vaughn did to her, but she didn't have the chance. Vaughn turned his back on her and walked down the hallway. For once the words of Sydney Bristow could not reach his ears nor penetrate his heart.

29292929

The gravel under the tires of the jeep Jack rented at the German airport crunched as he pulled into Alwynn's driveway. It had been a long time since Jack had seen the man. He met Alwynn through another contact. He'd been told that Alwynn was the best around when it came to obtaining necessary credentials to move around the country. His research actually involved counter fitting official documents. He managed to perfect the watermarks and paper consistencies of many federal documents, including birth and death certificates. The profit and skill of his old friend was clearly seen by the BMW parked in the driveway.

Jack had introduced Irina to Alwynn many years ago, and being the woman she is, he had no doubt that Irina took to using Alwynn's skills whenever she was in the area. He figured since the CIA wanted to find her, she needed some new identification, especially if Nadia was traveling with her. Alwynn seemed as good a place as any to start.

Closing the door, Jack walked up the stone sidewalk that led up to the brick porch and white painted door. He gave two sharp knocks and then waited. Looking around, he saw no other houses in the close vicinity and the house remained pretty well hidden by the tall manicured hedges that began on either side of the driveway.

Jack gave a quick look at the BMW for confirmation that Alwynn should be home. With a realization, he pulled out his gun and tried the door. The way the door knob easily turned in his hand almost confirmed his assessment. He walked into the large white foyer and then into the living room. That's where she chose to leave the body.

With a feeling of sorrow, Jack pocketed the gun, assured that Irina wasn't there because of the color of Alwynn's skin. A couple of fingers to his neck confirmed that the temperature of his body had significant time to cool and that he'd probably been there for at least a day. He got up from his friend's body and went to the computer, but as he expected, Irina had erased everything.

Determined to locate his wife, Jack sat down at the computer and pulled up the prompter and began searching for any document or file that could determine what Irina had come for and where she intended on going. Unable to salvage anything, Jack turned his gaze to the printer. All the files of the documents Alwynn had made had been deleted but if he could get the printer to recall the last document it printed he might be able to get somewhere.

Ten minutes later, the sound of the printer filled the room. Jack eagerly snatched the document from the printer. Irina's and Nadia's face stared back at him with names identifying them as Americans. Irina had obtained passports and now Jack had their names. He could now track where Irina was heading. Jack stood up and began making his way towards the front door. He paused at his friend's body.

"Goodbye, Alwynn," Jack murmured so quietly it was almost undistinguishable from the silence of the room. With that, Jack headed for his car. Once he was a few miles from the house, he picked up his cell phone and called the police. This way, Alwynn could rest in peace.

29292929

"Sydney," Sark greeted when she entered the room. "I was wondering who they would send to me. I imagine that Nadia, I mean, Agent Vaughn, is therefore questioning Lauren?"

"Does that worry you?" Sydney asked coming around to sit across from him. The table between them was metal and bolted to the ground. "Your girlfriend in the cell at the hands of her ex-husband?"

Sark grinned. "The more appropriate question is does it concern you? After all, you should know, Agent Vaughn and Lauren are still husband and wife." Sydney felt her heart skip a beat at the thought, but she didn't let the affect of that comment reach her face.

"Where's Nadia?" Sydney growled, thinking it best to change the subject. Sark immediately noticed the change of conversation.

"It's a touchy subject for you, isn't it, Sydney?" Sark leaned forward, placing his handcuffed hands on the table. "After all, you were gone for just two years and Agent Vaughn seeks out and marries another woman. Please, refresh my memory, how long have you known Agent Vaughn? Three years? Four? I'm rather surprised actually, that in that time you haven't taken a step towards marriage." In a flash Sydney stood up and rammed her fist into Sarks face. Sark didn't say a word as his head was forced harshly in the direction of her punch. He slowly brought his face back around to hers, moving his jaw up and down to test its movement.

"Let's get one thing straight. Vaughn and I are none of your business," Sydney hissed. "Now, you're going to tell me where Nadia is or I am going to ensure that when you walk out this door tubes will be the only thing keeping you alive. So I'm going to ask you one more time. Where's Nadia?"

29292929

"Michael, I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon," Lauren grinned. The black eyeliner around her eyes gave her a look of sultry confidence that made Vaughn inwardly cringe.

"If you don't tell me what I need to know, you're going to wish you had," Vaughn stated.

"Please don't tell me you intend to mix personal feelings with business. That could have grave repercussions. Just ask Sydney," Lauren said with a smile.

"Don't you dare talk about Sydney!" Vaughn growled.

"Come on, Michael, am I within reason to believe that the only reason that you're in here instead of her is that you don't trust Sydney and I being alone together?" Vaughn reached across the table and slapped Lauren hard across the face. So hard in fact, that she fell out of her chair. Vaughn was instantly at her side.

"I told you not to say her name!" Vaughn yelled. He grabbed her by the hair as she clumsily got to her feet that were restrained with I shaped chains that connected her wrists to her ankles. "And for the record, I have no doubts in believing that Sydney could kill you, but I came in here to break you. To watch you fall apart as you give me the information I want to know." He shoved her back into the chair and let go of her hair. "With that said, tell me where Nadia is."

"As far as I'm concerned, Nadia's right in front of me. Quite clever, Michael, I must say. You make an excellent woman," Lauren said, never losing her smirk. Vaughn swiftly placed a punch to her jaw. He watched as she spit out some blood. He expected to feel some victory, but he didn't. She hadn't gotten what she deserved yet.

"Where is Nadia Santos?" Vaughn demanded again, almost hoping that she wouldn't answer the question. Lauren seemed to recognize the look in his eyes.

"You going to kill me, Michael?" Lauren asked. "Because if you are, I suggest you skip to the finale."

Vaughn punched her again, this time squarely in the eye. "Where is Nadia?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't dream of telling you," Lauren spat. "You never had the guts to marry Sydney because you're a coward."

Before Vaughn could stop himself he found himself punching Lauren uncontrollably. All over her face, her body, he couldn't stop himself. He should have known that Lauren was just trying to get him angry and she had succeeded, but that connection wasn't even made. He needed to make Lauren feel the pain he felt when he found out her secret, for her to pay for her deceit. Vaughn was so immersed in what he was doing; he didn't hear the door to the room open.

"Vaughn!" He recognized the voice, but all he could see was her face. Lauren's bloody bruised face. "Vaughn, stop!" He felt someone pull him back and he turned around and took a swing at the person; a swing that the person narrowly avoided. Vaughn froze. Sydney was staring at him like he was someone she didn't know. Guilt flashed in his head for coming so close to having striking her, but his anger clouded the reality. He couldn't explain to her. He couldn't talk to her, not now.

"Sark talked," Sydney said coldly as Vaughn remained silent, catching his breath at the same time. He couldn't even force himself to look her in the eyes. She waited a moment for him to respond before she turned around and left the room.

"Sydney doesn't seem too happy," Lauren whispered. Her eyes held an almost glazed half-open appearance. Blood splatters painted her face and a consistent stream seemed to flow from her lips. Some places on her cheeks and her eyes already showed the shadows of green and purple bruises. Despite her injuries, however, she still kept a slight grin on her face.

"You don't feel satisfied do you? You can't get closure from me, Michael," Lauren insisted. "You have to get closure from yourself. For your decision and your blindness and now, from Sydney for your coward behavior." Vaughn looked at Lauren in disgust. Before turning around and leaving the room.

29292929

Irina looked at her watch nervously. Their meeting place with Nassir Valijera was inside the basement of one of the clubs he owned. They had gotten in no problem, but Valijera was late and that's what made her uneasy. She hated it when things made her uneasy. She checked the gun in the inside of jacket and felt slightly better knowing it was there. Seconds later, she heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs.

"Ah, sorry to keep you waiting, Irina," Valijera exclaimed as soon as he caught sight of her. He was tall and skinny and dressed in a long black coat. A black dress shirt and pants completed the outfit and complimented his thick mustache. No guards or personal escort were with him. Either this guy was cocky or he had something in mind.

"Have we met before?" Irina asked. "I wasn't aware that our greetings were on an informal basis."

"That is how I do business," Valijera said bowing slightly as he stood before them. "Forgive me if I offend you. I am Nassir Valijera."

"Do you have it?" Irina demanded.

"Yes, yes, indeed," he said smiling, "but you have yet to introduce me to this lovely lady," he said, his gaze fixed on Nadia.

"Who she is isn't important," Irina said annoyed.

"I am hurt," Valijera said mockingly. "I have made a valiant effort to assist you in your search and you refuse to comply with simple social formalities."

"I apologize," Irina said with a bow. "This is my daughter, Sydney." Nadia looked at her mother in surprise at being introduced as her sister, but played along as Valijera took her hand and kissed it. "A pleasure, Sydney."

"I must insist on the serum, if you please," Irina requested.

"Of course," Valijera said with a smile. He walked over to the far concrete wall and removed a section of plaster made precisely to look like the concrete itself. It actually matched quite well. Behind it, a simple dial tone safe was revealed. He made a comical effort to stand in front of the dial so that they would not see him enter in his combination. Though neither Nadia nor Irina could see what was happing, they could hear the creak of the safe and the scraping of something being removed from the inside. Valijera turned around with a briefcase in his hand.

"I must confess that the man from whom I purchased this serum from was quite reluctant to part with it," Valijera informed them as if it was a big secret. "In fact, the only way he would part with it is if I promised to contact him when someone came looking for it." Irina's eyes narrowed. "I must tell you I am a man of my word."

"I never doubted you for a second, my friend." Irina and Nadia turned to the new speaker, who stood on the stairs, smiling like he'd just been reunited with some old friends at a dinner party.

"Arvin! I do hope that these are the buyers you've been looking for," Valijera said, his informal and friendly demeanor never wavering.

"Indeed," Arvin said, his eyes traveling from Irina's furious ones to the confused brown eyes of his beautiful daughter.