1Quick Note: I recently changed Chapter Two slightly. I added a few lines into Sydney and Renee's conversation when they met in Venice. I forgot to have Sydney tell Renee about

the message she had received and I was planning on doing this. Thank you to "Five Stories Fallen" for pointing this out.

Chapter IV

LOS ANGELES

APO was less chaotic with the return of Weiss, Dixon, and Grace. Jack and Sydney had decided with them and Renee that the story would be, they managed to escape from Dean's facility when it was ambushed by a third party. The group had also said they had seen Dean flee with the Artifact and that he is still in possession of it.

When Sydney finally got the time she asked Eric Weiss to come with her to a coffee shop. After both ordering different coffees, the two sat down at a table and Sydney took a deep breath and began to tell Weiss about the message.

Weiss listened in disbelief and after Sydney had finished there was a long pause.

"Do you still have the message?" asked Weiss.

"APO has it recorded but I deleted it," answered Sydney. "It sounded exactly like him..."

"Sydney," began Weiss, "I have seen a lot and heard a lot of things working for our government. Some things seemed impossible and yet I saw them happen. Now, I'm not implying that this...person was Vaughn because it just doesn't seem logical. Like you said, you saw him die..."

"I just don't know what to believe."

Arvin sat in front of his fire place as the flame began dying out. It was eleven and Gordon Dean had not called and APO still did not have the Artifact.

Then out of nowhere came the ringing of his cell phone. Arvin got up and picked it up from an end table and he answered it.

"Hello?" Arvin called.

"Good evening Arvin," said Gordon Dean. "I was unaware that APO was sending in criminals to do their work now."

"Excuse me?" asked Arvin.

"Well Renee Rienne came to my facility this evening and she helped our APO prisoners escape and I'm pretty sure she was after my Artifact."

"I had no knowledge of that. The three agents told APO that they managed to escape after a third party infiltrated your building."

"Well, yes but the third party was Rene Rienne."

"What does this matter have to do with our agreement?"

"Well for one thing, Arvin, I'd like for you to give me a heads up when APO plans on coming after me."

"Do you have your price yet?"

"Actually Arvin I do. But there's one another thing."

"What is it?"

"After we make our trade, I want you to continue to help me. You proved to be quite resourceful and I'm sure you will continue to be."

"And if I don't?"

"Then I'll will make sure APO finds out you worked out this negotiation with me. Now do we have a deal?"

Arvin Sloane paused and thought about the consequences of both choices but he realized one option was better than the other.

"We have a deal."

"Good," said Gordon Dean. "Now for my price. I will give you The Antithesis which will heal your daughter if you give me...Sydney Bristow."

"What?"

"Just like I said, Arvin, I'll give you the Antithesis and you, in return, will give me Sydney Bristow."

"What do you need her for?" asked Arvin.

"I don't personally need her," said Dean. "My superiors do."

"Who are your superiors?"

"Why so many questions, Arvin? Besides, you can probably guess who they are. And you know why they need Sydney. After all, you are still a follower of Rambaldi no matter how many times you deny it. Once a follower, always a follower, don't you agree?"

Arvin did not answer. He realized what Dean was talking about.

"You don't mean..."

"Yes Arvin, the Forgotten Prophecy. See, I knew you'd figure it out."

"That means..."

"Oh Arvin stop pretending to be so shocked. You knew it would eventually come to this. Who else would be the Gatherer? You knew she wanted this more than anything. Now, let's see, where can we make a safe exchange?"

"I can't do it..."

"Oh Arvin, stop pretending like you care for her. You know the outcome, you've read the Prophecy. We aren't going to kill her. The son will. Whether you bring Sydney or not, she will eventually get caught and she'll have to face her fate. You can't stop fate, Arvin."

Arvin didn't say anything. At this moment he fell back into his chair.

"Now, tomorrow night, I want to meet you in Los Angeles. Let's say at eight thirty, downtown. The alleyway across from the old closed down club. Do you know where I'm talking about?"

"Yes."

"Meet me there at eight-thirty with Sydney and I'll give you the Antithesis. And Arvin don't try to pull something over. This is your only chance to save your daughter. Remember that."

Gordon Dean hung up.

"Our main goal is still to retrieve The Antithesis," said Jack, "but we again don't know the location of Gordon Dean. We sent a team in to infiltrate the building where he was keeping Agent Dixon, Agent Grace, and Eric Weiss in and we received a great deal of information which is still being looked over. Hopefully we'll gain some more Intel. But for now we can only wait."

After the short update Jack gave to Sydney, Dixon, Grace, Rachel, Marshall, and Sloane the next morning, he dismissed them all except Sydney.

"What is it, Dad?" she asked after everyone had left.

"They're transporting Christoph tonight," said Jack. "Langley doesn't want to keep him here."

"What? That's ridiculous, do they know the dangers of that?" asked Sydney.

"Sydney, I know how you feel about it but I can't change their decision. I just got the word today, I'm sorry it's so sudden."

"It's not going to turn out good," said Sydney. "And they'll regret making that decision."

"Why am I being transferred?" asked Christoph.

"They think this cell isn't safe enough," answered Sydney. "And they think by moving you to one of their prisons that there is less of a chance of you escaping."

"When am I leaving?"

"Tonight."

"Are they going to kill me?"

"No, my father and I have made sure they wouldn't."

"Why would you do that?"

"What?"

"I mean, after everything I said to you and your father. Why wouldn't you want me killed?"

"You might prove to help us in the future."

"I could help you now."

"Like how?"

"I know what's going to happen, Sydney."

"What do you mean?"

"I know what's going to happen to you."

"Why? What's going to happen to me?"

There was a long pause. "Christoph," said Sydney, "What's going to happen? Am I in danger?"

"Yes. I should have told you earlier but I was ordered not to," answered Christoph.

Then a guard came over to the cell.

"Ms. Bristow," said the guard, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave the prisoner by order of Langley. He is not suppose to have visitors the day of his transferring."

"I'm sorry but I haven't heard about this rule," said Sydney. "And I don't see why it's necessary."

"I'm sorry," said the guard. "Langley's orders."

Sydney gave a single glance at Madeira.

"I'll meet you at the prison later," said Sydney.

"Don't be long," said Christoph almost as a warning.

Sydney sat at her desk thinking about her last words with Christoph. This whole week had been overwhelming and stressful and now she was told she was in danger. She didn't want to be anywhere but home now. She wanted to be safe in her bed and comfortable. Why did she ever chose a life like this?

She had been contemplating on leaving APO and the CIA once her child was born. She would never have time to be a mother while working for the CIA. She wanted to watch her child grow up unlike her father did with her. She wasn't going to have her child turn out like her. Although, in reality, she wasn't a bad person, she just thought she was.

Rachel could see that Sydney was stressed. She came over.

"I heard about them transferring Madeira," she said. "Do you really think something's going to happen?"

"Well it happened numerous times with Sark," answered Sydney.

"Is there something else that's wrong?" asked Rachel.

Sydney looked up. She didn't want to lie to Rachel but wasn't sure if she should tell her.

"Sydney, if you don't want me to know, I understand..."

"No, it's not that. It's just...Well, just now, I was talking to Christoph and he told me...he knew something."

"What does he know?"

"I don't know. All he said was he knew I was in danger and he wasn't suppose to tell anyone. But he knows something and...I can't help but feel that...something's going to happen."

"Did you tell your father?" asked Rachel.

"No," answered Sydney. "Do you think I should?"

"If you don't feel safe you should," said Rachel.

"Sydney," said a voice.

Rachel and Sydney turned and saw Arvin Sloane approaching.

"Sydney," said Sloane again. "Can I talk with you for a moment? In private?"

"Yeah," answered Sydney a bit confused. "Sure."

"It's just about Nadia," informed Sloane.

"Alright. I'll be right back Rachel."

"Okay."

Sydney and Sloane walked away from Sydney's desk and into an office. Sloane shut the door of the office behind him.

"Is everything okay?" asked Sydney.

"I'm hoping so," answered Sloane. "The doctors say it's a fifty-fifty chance for her to be cured and they think that maybe I should bring her home for more comfort. And I know I don't normally come to you with personal things but I was wondering if you'd like to help me get a room ready for her tonight. You lived with her for a while, I'm guessing you know what she likes. We might be able to bring her home two days from now."

"Sure," said Sydney. "I'm free. I'd love to help."

"Thank you," said Sloane. "Come to my house around seven. But, I'd rather not have other people know about this only because I don't want word getting out that my daughter is leaving the safety of the hospital. We're trying to get her home as quietly as possible. We don't want the wrong people getting to her."

"Of course."

"So I'll see you tonight at seven."

"Is everything okay?" asked Rachel to Sydney when she returned from having her conversation with Sloane.

"Yeah," said Sydney. "He's just having a rough time."

"Alright," said Rachel. "Tom invited me over tonight so I won't be home until later, maybe at eleven."

"Okay," said Sydney. "I'm going out tonight too. I should be home by then."

Sydney pulled up to Sloane's house at 6:55. She stepped out of her car and carried a bag of Nadia's things. Sydney locked the doors and approached Sloane's large house. There was a tall fence which enclosed the mansion. Sydney approached the gate and pressed a button. Soon after the gates opened, allowing Sydney onto Sloane's property.

"I'm glad you could come," said Sloane after taking the bag of Nadia's things from Sydney. "Let's bring these upstairs."

The two walked up to the third floor. Sydney followed Sloane down a hallway and then into a large bedroom. Most of the room was already set up but it looked a little dull. Sloane placed Nadia's things on the large, queen-sized bed.

"It looks pretty good so far," said Sydney.

"I tried to do the best I could for her," said Sloane.

Sydney turned to Sloane. "Arvin, I know Nadia loves you. And I know you regret what you did to her. And when she wakes up she'll realize that. You're not as bad of a father as you think you are."

"If you were my daughter, would you forgive me?" asked Sloane.

"I can see you're doing anything you can to find a cure for her," said Sydney, avoiding his question. "She'll appreciate that."

There was a short pause as the two looked at each other. In truth, Sydney did believe he had regret but she personally would never forgive him.

"I'm going to get some more things," said Sloane. "You can start setting up."

"Alright," said Sydney.

Sloane left the room and Sydney went into the bag. She first grabbed a picture frame which held a photograph of her and Nadia. Sydney smiled at it for a while and then placed it on an end table. She turned around and jumped back in fear.

Arvin Sloane was standing there with a tranquilizer gun aimed at her.

"I'm sorry, Sydney. Please forgive me," he said and then he fired. Sydney was hit with the tranquilizer. She approached Sloane in rage but became dizzy in the process. The room started spinning. She tried to speak but her speech was slurred. The room went blurry and the last thing she felt were arms catching her and placing her on a soft bed.