Chapter VII

THE PACIFIC OCEAN

Without opening her eyes Sydney reached to feel Vaughn's body. But all she felt was a mattress. She opened her eyes and realized he had left. She sat up in hope that he'd be in the room with her still. He was but they weren't alone.

The first thing Sydney noticed was the amount of bodies in the room. Quickly afterwards she recognized their faces. They all stood staring at her. Most wore a dark set of clothing. Some arms were crossed and few stood with their hands in their pockets.

At the far left stood Julian Sark, arms in pockets with the same simple face he always made. There was a slight grin on his face as he stood at Sydney. He studied her intently with his cold eyes. He wore a tie-less suit with the top three buttons undone.

Slightly in front of him and to his left was Anna Espinosa, Sydney's long rival. Her lips were violet red and stood out as always. Her arms were crossed and she leaned slightly on one leg.

Next to her was Renee. She looked almost ashamed and when Sydney's eyes met her's, she turned away. She was full of regret. And to think Sydney trusted her and helped her. Sydney did not have to words to say anything to her. She betrayed her.

Following Renee was a woman Sydney thought had been killed. But not she stood there in the flesh, her black hair dangling down elegantly. She was Sydney's aunt and her name was Elena Derevko. Her face was emotionless while staring.

Her sister, Katya stood right next to her smirking and Sydney thought of hundreds of reasons why she had that emotion on her face. She had changed so little since the last time Sydney saw her. Her hair had grown slightly from its once very short form but other than that she had not aged younger nor older.

Next to Katya was a man dressed in an expensive suit that Sydney did not know. His arms were crossed and he too was smirking. He wore sunglasses as well but his eyes were slightly visible through them. He had a stubble around his face which was a similar to the color of his brown hair.

There was another man Sydney did not know as well. He had shaved black hair that resembled an army recruit. His five o'clock shadow was visible as he stood there, smoking a cigarette. His facial features were strong and prominent and he was very brawny.

Then Sydney eyes came in contact with someone she never thought she'd see again. Irina Derevko stood in front of the whole group staring at Sydney. She was dressed professionally as if ready for an important meeting. Her dark brown hair was done up messily yet it looked neat somehow and it was probably intentionally styled this way.

Irina stood next to Vaughn who, like Renee, did not want to keep eye contact with Sydney. The room was silent for a while. Sark directed his gaze briefly at Irina, waiting for her to say something but she didn't. Anna did the same.

Sydney broke the silence first.

"What is this?" she asked at first directing it towards her mother then she gazed through the whole group. "Vaughn?" He turned away to the ground. "What's going on?"

"How do you feel?" asked Irina.

"How do I feel?" asked Sydney. "Right now I feel a bit cornered and uneasy."

"And how's the baby?" asked Irina.

Sydney stared puzzled at her mother. "The baby? The baby's fine."

"Good," said Irina.

"What am I doing here? Why are you all here?"

"Oh we're not all here," said Irina. "Who else are we missing, Sloane and Nadia? Oh and..."

"Why am I here?"

"You'll get answers, Sydney. But first I'd like to introduce you to a couple of people." Irina turned her head to the man in sunglasses. "That man Sydney is your uncle, Alexander."

"What?" asked Sydney.

"And the man next to him," Irina glanced at the man smoking the cigarette, "Is your other uncle, Cain. Put that cigarette out, it's bad for the child." He obeyed.

"I have uncles?" asked Sydney.

"You have cousins," announced Cain as his foot stepped on the cigarette.

"I'll explain this all in good time," said Irina, "but I'm sure you'd like to know why you are here. Sydney, you never truly believed you were the Chosen One. In fact, you were never really sure what being the Chosen One meant. But you will learn now how important you are." Irina paused briefly and then continued. "The child you are bearing is of great significance. He is the reincarnation of Rambaldi."

"You can't believe that," said Sydney. "How can you believe that? Vaughn?"

"Sydney, you never truly believed in Rambaldi but it is time you did. You're child will be Rambaldi. And through him we will gain immortality," stated Irina.

"My child is not Rambaldi. Vaughn! Don't do this! What have they done to you? Can't you see? This isn't real! Rambaldi is a lie! Don't believe..."

"Rambaldi is life!" interjected Irina. "He is the giver of life."

"You're not going to touch my baby!" screamed Sydney. "I'll kill you, you son of a bitch."

"That's no way to talk to your mother," said Alexander.

"Sydney, you have no choice. Your child will be born and you will die."

"You're going to kill me?"

"No. You will die after giving birth."

"How long have you known this? Vaughn did you know?" She began sobbing.

"He did not know," said Irina.

"But you knew! You knew all along! And you were willing to sacrifice me, your daughter..."

"For my grandson," interrupted Irina. "Sydney, I did not know all along."

"But you're behind this all."

"No I'm not."

"I am." Only the voice was heard. A voice of a woman. And the woman stepped from behind Cain and out in front with Irina. She was old with short gray hair. She was thin and slightly shorter than Irina. She wore navy blue pants along with a blue sports coat. She wore no jewelry or makeup and appeared quite plain.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I, my dear,"said the old woman, "am your grandmother." As Sydney stared at the old woman she could see all three of the Derevko sisters in her. She had Irina's posture and speech. Katya's face and hair and Elena's dark eyes and presence. "I was, as you say, 'behind this'. I am the leader of the Twelve Disciples and to Rambaldi I am known as the Descendant. I have been watching you from afar for many years, my child. You, I must say, have to grown to be a respectable woman. You were always quite stubborn, I can't blame you though, it's a female Derevko trait. I knew before you were born that you would give birth to Rambaldi. I knew your importance. And now it has finally come. Your purpose will be fulfilled."

"You can't believe it."

"I do, my child. I have seen things, things you could never imagine. And I know that you are indeed the Chosen One. The one who will give birth to Rambaldi."

"No I won't."

"You will."

"I'm not due for another two weeks."

"The prophecy says you will have your child about two weeks early."

"That's..."

"This week."

"Are you going to hurt him?"

"Your child? Of course not! He is Rambaldi. He unfortunately will be killed by your father but he will return. But at the moment that is not important. Now I want you to rest. We will not strap you down unless you have to. Some of us would like to say a few words to you as well. Your sister will be here soon." She exited the room and the rest followed. The door locked.

Sydney broke down mentally and she fell on her bed.

The phone rang in the APO debriefing room. Rachel, Dixon, Tom, Marshall, Jack, and Sloane all glanced at it. Jack was the first to react, and put the phone on speaker.

"Agent Bristow," said Jack.

"Hello, Jack," said a woman's voice.

"Kelly Peyton."

"How are you?"

"Where's Sydney?"

"She's safe don't worry."

"What do you want?"

"I would just like you to tell Sloane that I have retrieved his daughter."

"Thank you," said Sloane.

"It was my pleasure. She's not awake yet but she will be."

"Where is my daughter?" asked Jack.

"I can't tell you that. I hope your last words to her weren't bitter." Kelly hung up.

"Where is she?" yelled Jack to Sloane. "WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?"

"I don't know, Jack!" he responded. "I was suppose to be extracted. I don't know the location."

"FIND OUT!"

"I can't!"

"Then you serve no purpose anymore."

Sydney looked up as she heard the door open. In walked Christoph Madeira. He look surprisingly depressed.

"So you're in on this too?" she asked.

"Yeah," he answered. He shut the door. "How are you?"

"Don't bother asking," she said. He stood in silence as she sat upon the bed. "So what are you in this whole prophecy?"

"I'm an heir," he answered. "It's not an important role. I'm one of six."

"Who are the others?"

The door opened simultaneously as Sydney spoke her words. In walked five people all who looked about Sydney's age or younger. There was two girls and three boys.

"They are. They're your other cousins."

A girl stepped forward. Her hair was blonde and long. Her skin was light and fair and she was beautiful. Her complexion was very much like snow and her eyes were the color of the sky during a storm.

"I'm sorry we had to meet like this. My name is Mariska. And that is my brother Geoffrey." She nodded towards one of the three men. As Sydney glanced at him she saw that the two were twins. They both shared the light complexion. Their profiles were identical and both had the gray eyes. He was thin as well but lean. "We're Katya's children." Sydney could hear Katya's accent in her daughter.

The other girl stepped forward. She looked nothing like Mariska. Her hair was a dark brown and incredibly straight. Her bangs dangled in front of one eye and her other green one was exposed. Her skin color was white but much darker than Mariska's. She, like Mariska was thinly built but seemed to have more muscle than her.

"I'm Cecilia," her voice was no where near Mariska's soft gentle one. Cecilia's was dark and cool. "I'm Cain's daughter and these are my two brothers, Ivan, and Sylvian"

Ivan was the taller of the two. His eyes were dark brown along with his hair. It was short and similar to his father. He was also built like his father and his facial structure was similar to his. He looked simply like a younger version of Cain.

Sylvian had similar facial features to his father but his face was a little more soft. He also had dirty blonde hair. Like his siblings, his skin was tanned. He seemed fit as well and was definitely the more attractive of the two siblings.

Sydney stared at them all for moment. She couldn't believe that she, for all these years, had cousins she had never met. Although she hadn't met them before, except for Christoph, she felt as if she knew them. She felt a blood connection with them all.

"So are you all getting immortality too?" asked Sydney.

"Says the prophecy," said Christoph.

"Which means yes," said Ivan, his voice deep and brute-like.

"And you honestly believe it?"

"Of course we do," said Geoffrey with a voice similar to his sisters but more piercing.

"Do you know who they are, the people you are working with? They're traitors. All of them," warned Sydney.

"They're our parents," said Sylvian.

"It doesn't matter. Irina is my mother and she has put me in danger. She has destroyed my life and has brainwashed my only love. She took everything from me. Who's to say your parents won't do that to you?"

"She hasn't ruined your life," said Cain. "This is fate."

"No it isn't," said Sydney. "Rambaldi is a lie."

Just then, the door opened and in walked Sark.

"Your time's up," he said. He talked like a parent towards them even though he was the same age as them. They filed out of them room and before shutting the door Mariska looked at Sydney briefly.

"Hello Sydney," greeted Sark.

"Sark."

"It's been a while."

"Not long enough."

"I know it's hard for you to admit you missed me."

"What do you want Sark?"

"I came to apologize."

"I don't care that you've done this to me."

"No, what I'm going to apologize for is something I have not done yet. You see, Sydney, in this Prophecy I am known as The Marksman. I am your child's godfather ironically. And later on in the future I will kill your father in attempt to save your child."

"You don't believe this Sark. You were never in this for glory. All you wanted was money."

"That may be true but why not see how this turns out?" He then got up and walked to the door. "I know others want to say a few words to you so you won't be lonely long." He then exited through the door.

In her mind Sydney was trying to think of every possible way to escape from this place but nothing came. It seemed impossible. There were no windows and only one door which was most likely guarded.

The door opened and in walked Anna Espinosa.

"Get out," demanded Sydney.

"I only have a few words," she said.

"Get out."

"Sydney don't get yourself worked up. You have a child to think of."

"What do you want Anna?"

"Sydney, you don't seem to realize how important you are in this Prophecy. You are a gift. You are Rambaldi's Chosen One. Do you know what I would give to be The Chosen One?"

"Would you like to trade places?"

"Unfortunately, the closest I can get to becoming The Chosen One is being doubled into you?"

"What?"

"After you die, we will use your DNA to change me into you so that when your child is killed by his grandfather we can have him reborn."

"That is absolutely disgusting."

"Therefore I am known as The Counterpart."

"Good, now leave," commanded Sydney.

Anna walked to the door. "I would also like to let you know that I am Rambaldi's reborn wife."

"How lucky you must feel," said Sydney sarcastically. Anna shot her a glare before leaving the room.

The more Sydney heard the more she cried. Her life was ruined by Rambaldi. His scriptures and prophecies drove people to insanity and now she was to suffer because of it. She did not want to believe what she had heard. After all, she did not know whether her child was to be a boy or a girl.

Elena Derevko walked in and slammed the door.

"Hello Sydney," she said coldly.

"I thought you were dead," stated Sydney.

"Most people did. But alas, here I am."

"Why?"

"Why? Well simply because I'm immortal. I have gained immortality and I am the first of anyone in history. I am Eternal. And your mother, she already knew when she shot me in the head. I still have a scar if you can't tell." She didn't sound too happy about the mark permanently left on her forehead.

Sydney could see it clearly. It was bright and would be impossible to cover up.

"Then what do you get out of all of this?"

"To meet Rambaldi of course."

"My child isn't Rambaldi," said Sydney.

"Keep telling yourself that. It doesn't matter though does it? You won't be alive to find out." She walked across the room and her heeled boots clunked and echoed in the room. She opened the door and Sydney attempted to look out. She saw a chair against a gray wall but nothing else. Elena had turned to her left and took a step before the door had closed.

It wasn't long until Katya came into the room. Sydney really did not know what to say to her.

"How are you, Sydney?" asked Katya.

"If I said terrible would you do something about it?" asked Sydney. Katya laughed briefly.

"I'm sorry I wouldn't be able to."

There was a moment of silence between the two.

"Your daughter," said Sydney, "is very beautiful."

"Thank you," said Katya.

"Unfortunately I'll never see my child."

"I'm sorry but that's the way it is. But I guess I should tell you now that I will be delivering your child. I'll make sure everything goes well and I'll try to prevent preventable mistakes. Unfortunately your death is not preventable."

"Thank you for breaking it to me so lightly."

"I'll probably won't see you until you get into labor so therefore, goodbye and goodnight." She waited briefly for Sydney's goodbye but Sydney did not say anything. Katya left the room and also took a left.

In no time, Irina came into the room. The two stared at one another.

"I swear to you, I will kill you after all of this," promised Sydney.

"Unfortunately, you'll be dead," said Irina.

"I know all this isn't going to come true," said Sydney.

"I never thought you'd believe it," said Irina. "I wish you would just accept fate."

Sydney turned away from her mother and stared at the blank wall to her right. She was tired and did not want to here anymore.

"There's someone here to see you," said Irina. She turned to the door. It opened slowly and in walked Nadia.

"Nadia," whispered Sydney. Nadia ran over to her and hugged her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Nadia. "They told me...about the prophecy."

"You can't believe it," said Sydney.

"I don't," assured Nadia. "Are you okay?"

"I'm...overwhelmed," said Sydney.

"I'm sorry that my father..."

"Don't apologize for him."

Sydney managed to smile at Nadia despite her current emotional condition.

"Everything will be okay," said Nadia.

"I'm sorry to have to cut this short," said Irina "but Nadia I'm afraid you'll have to leave."

Nadia hugged Sydney one last time and got up and left.

"Hand it over," said Irina to Sydney.

"Hand what over?" asked Sydney.

"I saw Nadia slip the paper to you," said Irina. "Give it to me."

Sydney knew there was no use in arguing. When they hugged Nadia did in fact slip a paper to Sydney. Sydney handed the paper over to Irina who took it and unfolded it. She grinned.

"A map," said Irina. "You wouldn't have gotten very far I'm afraid. You're on a boat." Irina got up. "Well Sydney, rest and make yourself comfortable. You might be here a while."