Chapter VIII
APO
Sloane was put in a cell with no windows. Jack at first wanted it to be completely dark but Langley forced them to keep the lights on.
Jack sat in his office with his head in his hands. The copy of the Forgotten Prophecy sat in front of him. His grandchild stared at him through the paper. If it all turned out as planned, then his grandchild would be in danger forever. He forced that idea out of his mind and convinced himself that Rambaldi and the Prophecy was a fabrication.
The rest of the group were at their own desks trying some way to make the next step but they couldn't. Everything seemed lost.
THE PACIFIC OCEAN
Irina thought she was so intelligent. She thought she had everything under control as she left the room leaving Sydney alone. She had never been so incorrect in her life. Irina had saw Nadia slip something to Sydney but she had only saw one of the two things.
Sydney slipped under her blankets and from her pocket pulled out a cellular phone. The map was probably in case the phone didn't work. Sydney turned it on and had discovered that the volume was on low. She glanced at the phone which she held under the blanket and saw that it had a full battery and three bars of service. She hoped it would be enough.
She began dialing the number for APO.
APO
Marshall was about to burst into tears right before the phone rang. He stared at it and didn't feel like picking it up. He slowly reached for it and answered.
"Hello?" he said.
"Marshall, it's Sydney," said the voice.
He could have got up and danced but instead her simply said "Oh my go...SYDNEY-where are-are you okay? Have they hurt-are you still preg..."
"Marshall trace this call now and let me speak to my father," she commanded.
"Right, of course," he ran to his computer and began tracing the call. With the phone still in his hand her ran to the door but realized the phone was on a wire when he was pulled back. "Hold on, Syd."
Marshall placed the phone down and he ran through APO almost knocking Tom over. He barged into Jack's office.
"SYDNEY IS ON THE PHONE, LINE ONE!"
Jack quickly picked up.
"Sydney?"
"Dad," she said.
"You're alright."
Tom, Dixon, and Rachel walked through the door of Jack's office as Marshall hurried back to his office.
"Dad, they think my..."
"I know Sydney, I've read the Prophecy."
"Dad, I need to get out of her."
"Do you know where you are?"
"I'm in a room on a boat," said Sydney. "That's all I know. Dad...everyone is here."
"What do you mean everyone?"
"Every criminal, every Derevko, everyone is on this boat."
"We'll get you out, is Marshall tracking the call?"
"I told him to."
"How did you get to a phone?"
"Nadia slipped me one."
"She's there?"
"Yes."
"Gordon Dean and Kelly Peyton must also be there."
"Dad, my grandmother, your mother-in-law...she's alive."
"She's what?"
"I saw her. She's behind this."
"Marina...She was presumed dead."
"Elena is alive too. And I've met my uncles and cousins."
"All of them were presumed dead."
"There not. Dad, I'm scared."
"Sydney, I promise you I will get you out of there. You're not going to die and your baby will be fine."
Marshall came charging back in the room.
"I have the coordinates!"
"Sydney, we found you, we'll be there soon, okay?" said Jack. But Sydney did not respond. There was silence on the other side. "Sydney?" Jack called but again there was no answer. Jack hung up and hoped that he wouldn't be too late.
PACIFIC OCEAN
Sydney's grandmother had walked in because of suspicion. She was simply looking through the glass to check up on Sydney. She noticed Sydney was almost completely covered while laying in bed.
Marina Derevko walked to the door and quietly opened it. It did not make a sound. She shut the door behind her and approached the bed. As she drew near, she heard Sydney speaking.
"...mother, your..." Sydney's grandmother drew closer to hear but her words were nearly inaudible through her sobs.
"Dad, I'm scared." She heard Sydney say clearly. Marina crept forward and ripped off the covers. She saw Sydney with and phone to her ear. Marina leapt forward and snatched the phone. She put the phone to her ear and heard: "We found you." She hung up the phone and glared at Sydney.
"Where did you get this?" asked Marina.
"I had it," lied Sydney.
"No you didn't," said Marina. "Who gave this to you?"
"Nobody, I had it, you obviously didn't search me completely." Sydney smirked.
Marina slapped Sydney across the face.
"If you weren't pregnant I would have done worse," declared Marina. She stomped our of the room and locked the door behind her. She took a left and walked down a hall. Marina turned on her first right and headed forward. She reached a large door and opened it. Inside was a commodious room with a oval shaped table with twelve chairs. It was unoccupied.
She walked over to a wall where an intercom was attached. She pressed a dark red button on it and spoke into the speaker.
"Everyone will report to the debriefing room, now," ordered Marina. She released the red button and sat down in a chair.
Soon everyone began entering the room including ten of the Disciples, Kelly Peyton, Gordon Dean, Mr. Angle, Alison Doren, Marina's grandchildren, and ten guards. The room was completely filled. The Disciples took their chairs. Because of the absence of Sloane, Gordon Dean sat in his seat. The rest stood.
Marina took the cellular phone and tossed it to the middle of the table. The group stared at it, some confused.
"Who's phone is that?" asked Marina as gently and kindly as possible.
Gordon Dean spoke up. "I'm pretty sure that's my phone." He took a closer look. "Yes that's mine."
"Good," said Marina cordially. With one swift movement, she pulled out a pistol and fired it at Gordon Dean. The bullet hit his stomach. He looked down at his suit as blood seeped through. He then turned back to Marina. She shot him again, this time, in the cheek, scraping away the left side of this face along with parts of his ear. He fell to the floor and died.
"Now that's settled," said Marina. "I found Gordon Dean's phone with Sydney just this moment. I believe she was speaking to her father. I would like to let you all know that they have found our location."
People in the room glanced at one another in shock and uneasiness. Some hearts sunk in worriment.
"We must fulfill the Forgotten Prophecy," ordered Marina. "I want everyone ready for their approach. Men," she spoke to the heavily armored troops who stood mostly on deck, "I want you to load the machine guns and I want two of you to man the bazookas. Sark, Alison, Kelly, Angle, and Anna, you five will be on deck with them. Alexander and Cain I want you right below deck. Irina, Katya, and Elena you will guard on this floor. Mr. Vaughn, Nadia, and Renee, I will place you three in a separate room for I do not completely trust either of you three. But because you all play an important role in this Prophecy I will not kill you. You should be thankful for that. You'll be released when we have taken care of the CIA." She turned to three guards. "You three take them to room 3B" The three guards obeyed and Vaughn, Renee, and Nadia left the room. "Everyone get to your places and someone please dispose of Mr. Dean."
ROOM 3B
"So you gave Sydney the phone?" asked Vaughn when in the room alone with Nadia and Renee.
"Yes, I also gave her a map of the boat but Irina had saw it and took it," said Nadia. "You don't believe in the Prophecy do you?" Nadia directed the question to both Vaughn and Renee.
There was a long silence until Renee spoke up.
"I did not kidnap Sydney and I did not know about this prophecy until informed by Gordon Dean," she said. "I refused to take part in it until he showed up at the apartment and threatened me with a gun. He took me here and I was explained in detail about it. I don't really know if I believe it. I just wish that Sydney will be okay."
Nadia turned to Vaughn for his answer now.
"If I knew that this whole thing was going to happen before hand I would have never got Sydney pregnant," answered Vaughn. "I would have avoided her and kept myself away. I don't want to believe in the Prophecy but if it has to come to this then I can't prevent it."
"Yes you can," assured Nadia. "We all can."
ABOVE THE PACIFIC
The three CIA planes glided over the Pacific. Jack had gathered as much men as he could on their sudden mission. He was standing in a plane along with Rachel, Dixon, and Tom. With them was also at least ten more agents. The other two planes each held about fifteen more agents each.
"We're approaching the boat," yelled the pilot to Jack.
"Everyone, put your parachutes on," ordered Jack. The few who were not already suited up did so.
Rachel looked at Tom.
"You're scared, aren't you?" he asked her.
"Yeah," she answered.
"Never sky dove?" he asked.
"I bungee jumped once," she said.
"Well follow my lead," said Tom. "Jump out after I do and when you see me open my parachute, do the same."
"Okay."
Just then the back of the plane opened up for the agents to jump. Jack came to the opening first and leapt off into the air. Dixon followed and then some of the agents went. Tom took Rachel's hand as they approached the opening.
"Ready?" he asked her.
She nodded. He let go of her hand and jumped. She closed her eyes and followed. The other agents continued out of both planes.
When Rachel opened her eyes she saw through her goggles the ocean above her. The boat was merely a dot. The other agents fell below her and above her. Her heart was racing and her hair blew behind her. Wind rushed in her lungs and she kept an eye on Grace. Just then she saw a missile come off from the ship.
It flew upward and left behind a trail of gray smoke. It flew past her and she turned her head slightly. It caught hold of an agent and then collided with the plane she had exited just seconds before. The plane exploded and a ball of fire ignited in the air. She was pushed downward by the explosion. The fire caught some of the other agents.
Another missile was fired. It hit the other plane's wing and the plane began spiraling downward into the ocean. Agents leaped from the plane in hopes of surviving. In all the distraction Rachel almost forgot about Tom. She looked down and saw several parachutes open. She pulled on her pack and released her's. Her speed slowed and she began gliding downward.
She heard the shot of another missile. It made its way to the other air plane which ended up having the same fate as the first destroyed plane. Then Rachel heard guns being fired from below. She was able to see people aboard the ship firing. She saw her fellow agents remove their weapons. They two began firing.
Rachel removed her weapon and started shooting at guards near the port side of the ship. It was nearly impossible to hit them. She saw, from the corner of her eye, agents fall into the ocean from the air. It was a massacre.
She felt something hit her back and she lost grip of her weapon. She then saw that a dead agent had been shot and had collided with her. The agent fell and hit the side of the boat before landing in the ocean.
Below her, few of her agents managed to land on the boat. Jack had been one of the few. He continued firing at the other guards, first taking out the men with the large machine guns. Dixon landed safely and assisted Jack.
Rachel had caught sight of Tom again, thankfully. She followed his lead in hope of being safe. Then she heard a bullet pass her. It punctured a hole in her parachute. She began falling quickly. It wasn't long until she was fired at again. More holes were created in her parachute. She reached the boat in a terrible landing with a tattered parachute.
In pain she stood up and removed her parachute. She took out a small pistol that she had. A guard charge her, she fired at him and managed to clip him in the chest. He fell. She took his large gun. A guard fired at her and she dove behind a wall. She stood up and found herself facing Kelly Peyton.
More agents were managing to reach the boat safely but at least twenty of them had been killed or landed into the ocean. Jack continued to fire alongside Dixon. Grace had landed on the boat and removed his parachute. He joined in fighting.
Kelly was too close to Rachel for her to shoot. Kelly hit Rachel with the side of her gun and Rachel stumbled.
"Wasn't expecting you," said Kelly.
"I was hoping I wasn't going to see you," said Rachel.
Kelly aimed her weapon but Rachel kicked it out of her hand. It skidded across the deck. Kelly went after it but Rachel grabbed her and threw her. Kelly collided with the wall and Rachel aimed her gun. Kelly quickly grabbed hold of it and the two struggled with it.
They simultaneously collided with the railing. The gun fell into the ocean. Kelly pushed Rachel up against the railing and grabbed hold of her neck and began choking her. Rachel gasped for air and attempted to remove Kelly's hands from her neck with one hand while holding onto the railing with the other.
Rachel then managed to knee Peyton in the stomach. Peyton's grasp released and Rachel hit her in the stomach again with her boot. Peyton stumbled backward and lost her breath. She quickly regained her composure and charged at Rachel.
In defense, Rachel ducked and lifted Peyton from the ground. In one swift movement she tossed Kelly overboard. She grabbed hold of the last vertical railing with her right hand. Rachel crushed the hand with her boot. Kelly could not hold onto the railing any longer and she plunged into the ocean.
Rachel stopped and at first could not believe what she had done. She stared into the ocean but did not see Kelly come up. Rachel grabbed Kelly's gun which lay on the floor. She got up and turned around. Anna Espinosa stood there with her gun aimed at Rachel. She fire and the bullet barely missed Rachel. Rachel fired in retaliation and dashed off. Anna followed.
Dixon had found Sark on deck and managed to disarm him. Unfortunately, Sark did the same to him. The two were now fist fighting not too far from Rachel. Sark threw his right fist at Dixon who ducked. Dixon came up with an uppercut and Sark fell backward onto the deck.
Dixon approached him but Sark managed to lock his legs around Dixon's and trip him. Dixon fell face first. Dixon rolled onto his back but Sark leaped at him. He got on top of Dixon and began punching Dixon's face.
In the corner of his eye, Dixon saw a gun laying on the deck. It was his gun. While being beaten upon, he reached for the weapon and managed to grab hold. Unfortunately he didn't grab hold of it correctly in order to fire it so instead her smashed it into Sark's forehead.
Jack continued to fire his weapon killing whoever got in his way. He searched the deck for stairs and he soon found a door. He managed to get the time to throw open the heavy door. He found stairs and raced down them.
Grace had watched Jack dash down below deck. He ran towards the stairs and was about to go down when he was tackled from behind. He felt himself hit the floor and then a large body landing on top of him. Grace scurried to get up but was held down. He elbowed the face of the person above him and managed to crawl out from underneath. He then discovered that Mr. Angle was the man he elbowed.
Mr. Angle and Grace both stood up and kept their gazes at one another. Then Mr. Angle charged Grace. In attempt to stop him, Grace fired his weapon but missed. Mr. Angle had tackled Grace again. Grace lay on his back and he shot his weapon continuously, hoping that he'd hit the large body of Mr. Angle. But he didn't.
Angle grabbed hold of Grace's gun and ripped it out of his hands. The gun was tossed overboard. Grace hit Angle in the face and managed to get on top of him but Angle grabbed hold of Grace and tossed him backward, over his shoulders. Grace flipped in the air and landed on his back.
Rachel was no match for Anna. She roundhouse kicked Rachel, making her boot collide with Rachel's face. Rachel fell to the floor and began bleeding.
"You're a sad excuse for an agent," spat Anna. She grabbed hold of Rachel's hair and lifted her from the deck. She turned Rachel around to face her. She drew back her fist but Rachel head butted her and Anna stumbled backward. Rachel clutched her head and decided never to do that again.
Sark had Dixon's arm twisted behind his back and Dixon felt it was going to break in any moment. Dixon managed to grab hold of Sark's head and toss him over his back. Sark's back collided with the deck and Dixon grabbed him from behind and tossed him. Sark then collided with the railing. Dixon began to approach Sark when a voice was heard.
"Don't move," it said.
Dixon turned and saw Alison Doren, gun in hand.
"Hello," she greeted. Sark came behind Dixon and knocked him in the back of the head with his elbow. Dixon fell to the ground. Alison approached and aimed her gun and Dixon's bleeding head.
As she was about to fire and bullet came by and shot her in the hand. He hand was blown off her wrist. She fell to the ground clutching her wrist. Sark turned and saw that Rachel was approaching quickly, weapon in hand. Rachel fired at Sark. He ran off and left Alison screaming and crying in pain on the deck. Rachel came over and saw what she had done to Alison. At first she felt remorse but then remembered that she was going to kill Dixon. Rachel fired at Alison and killed her.
Rachel helped Dixon up.
"Are you alright," ask Rachel.
"I'm fine," Dixon answered.
"Where's Jack?" she asked.
"He might have already gone below deck," said Dixon. "Watch out!" Dixon pulled Rachel down from a bullet which was shot by Anna. Rachel aimed her weapon and shot at Anna. Anna took cover behind a wall.
"We have to head down there," said Rachel. The two stood up and raced down the deck in search of stairs. They soon found Angle and Grace fighting. Rachel took her gun and aimed it at Angle. He had caught sight of her and grabbed Tom. Rachel stopped herself from shooting.
Angle now had Grace and was using him as a human shield. His brawny arm was around Grace's neck and his other hand was holding a pistol to his head.
"You make any move and I'll blast his brains out," warned Angle.
"Rachel, don't listen, just shoot him," said Grace.
"Shut up!" commanded Angle as he tightened his arm around Grace's neck. Rachel still had her gun aimed. "Lower your weapon." Rachel did not move. "Lower your weapon!"
A shot was fired. Angle fell to the ground and behind him Jack stood with his gun aimed.
"This way," said Jack as he ran off. Grace, Rachel, and Dixon followed. The group approached a door that lead to a stairway. They proceeded down the stairway, Jack first, followed by Dixon, Rachel then Grace. Then reached ground and began walking down the hall. Jack passed an intersecting hallway and was shot at. Luckily, it missed him. He leaned against the wall and Dixon did the same on the other side.
Jack looked at Dixon and nodded. The two leaned out and aimed their weapons down the hall. Alexander Derevko stood there with two pistols. He fired at them and they at him. All three missed one another.
"Tom and Rachel head down this hall and find Sydney," ordered Jack. Tom and Rachel moved through the intersecting hallway and passed Jack.
Jack turned around the corner and fired. Alexander then turned and fired. Jack took his cover behind the wall again.
"It's no use, Jack," said Dixon. "We have to..." Just then a shot was fired and it hit Dixon in the shoulder. He fell to the floor and Jack saw Sark standing there with a smoking gun. Jack heard Dixon gasping for air. Jack fired at Sark who took off down another hall.
Jack rushed over to Dixon. The bullet had lodged itself into his shoulder and he was bleeding uncontrollably.
"Stay with me Dixon," said Jack calmly.
"Jack," muttered Dixon, "Go. I'll be fine. Get Sydney."
"Tom and Rachel will do that. Now just keep breathing."
"Jack, leave. You're wasting time."
"Marcus..."
"Jack I've taken orders from you all my life and now I'm giving you an order. Leave."
Jack contemplated what to do. He stood up and ran down the hall.
"I'll be right back," said Jack. He ran off.
Dixon attempted to straighten himself up when high heeled boots were heard coming down the hall. Dixon looked up and saw Anna Espinosa standing over him. She smiled and kneeled down. She brought her scarlet red lips to his cheek and kissed it. She then stood up pulled out a gun and shot him in the heart. Dixon died instantly.
Tom continued to run down the hall with Rachel following him. There were so many hallways and doors that they had no idea where to turn or what room to check and there was still a level to check below them.
They heard several more shots being fired not too far from them.
The two then split up briefly as Rachel headed down a hallway to her left and Tom to his right. Rachel opened several doors but found nothing. Tom opened the doors down his hallway and found nothing. He turned to Rachel and Rachel turned to him.
"Nothing," she said.
"Same," said Tom.
"Tom! Watch out!" yelled Rachel but her warning came too late. Tom was knocked down to the ground by Cain Derevko. Rachel fired down at Cain but Cain jumped into one of the room's Tom had opened. Rachel ran towards Tom but was stopped when Cain leaned out and fired at Rachel. A bullet hit her arm and she went down, clutching it.
He came out of the room and approached Rachel but Tom grabbed his foot and pulled him down. The two brawled for a while on the ground before Cain got up and lifted Tom and threw him against a wall of the narrow hallway.
Rachel still lay on the floor bleeding from her arm. She watched Tom struggle with Cain but she couldn't move.
Tom threw his fist at Cain who stepped back. He tried a second time but missed again and Cain threw his massive fist at Tom's head. Tom fell to the ground a second time. While on the ground Tom kicked Cain's knee caps. Cain let out a cry of pain.
Jack ran down the hall but was stopped by Alexander who fired two bullets from each of his pistols at Jack. Jack fired back in retaliation. Both missed. Alexander fled down a hallway and Jack followed. He fired his gun at the fleeing Alexander but couldn't target him. He turned and corner and Jack followed and was knocked in the face by Alexander's elbow. He stumbled back, nose bleeding.
Alexander aimed both his weapons at him. Jack took Alexander's wrist and twisted it causing one gun to fall out of his hand. Jack then, as swiftly as possible, grabbed his other arm and twisted around his back. He then snatched the gun from Alexander's hand and aimed it at him.
"Where's Sydney?" asked Jack.
"I don't know," said Alexander with his hands up.
"Tell me where she is or I'll shoot your balls off," warned Jack.
"She's down below," said Alexander. "In a room near the starboard side."
"Don't move Jack," said a voice.
Jack looked over his shoulder and Anna Espinosa was standing there with her gun aimed.
"Drop your weapon," she commanded. Jack obeyed. She walked up to him and put the scope of the gun to the back of his head. Jack quickly spun and grabbed her arm. He twisted it and aimed the gun at her stomach. Before he could fire Alexander had turned around and grabbed Jack around the neck. Jack was pulled back but he still had the gun in his hand. He attempted to shoot at Alexander holding him but he missed. He fired at Anna who he also missed. She picked up one of the pistols on the ground and shot. Jack spun around in time so that the bullet shot Alexander in the leg.
He screamed in pain and let go of Jack who ran off.
"You bitch!" Alexander yelled at Anna. He picked up the pistol on the ground and shot both her legs, she fell to the floor but did not die. The two stayed in the hallway both bleeding. After a moment, Alexander got up on one foot and hurried off to the medical room on the port side. Anna attempted to crawl there.
Grace threw his right fist with all his power at Cain. Cain managed to dodge the fist. He then grabbed Tom's fist in his massive hand and he crushed it. His bones were heard cracking. Tom elbowed him in the face and Cain released his crushing grasp. Tom had no time to fight back for he was in too much pain. He clutched his broken hand. He turned and attempted to flee when Cain's arm went around Tom's neck and then his other hand went under his chin. In one swift movement, Cain snapped Tom's neck.
Rachel watched it happen and she screamed mournfully. She began crying as Cain watched his victim below him. He put his boot to Tom's face and broke his nose. Rachel let out another cry.
Cain limped over to her. His knee caps still hurt. He stood towering over the sobbing Rachel.
"I might as well do the same to you," he said. He leaned down to grab her but she too kicked him in the kneecaps. He stumbled down and she got up, still holding her arm. She ran down the hall, tears flooding her eyes.
Jack found another stairway leading downward. He rushed down the stairs and reached the third level. He continued down a hall towards the starboard side. As he was running the lights on the floor turned off. He stopped in his tracks and he couldn't see a thing except for the small windows which let in so little light. He continued down the hall, quietly walking.
At the sight of Sark, Rachel fled down another corner. She was unarmed and she knew he wasn't. Her arm pained her and blood had stained the left sleeve of her shirt completely along with her hand. Sark eventually caught up to her and grabbed her.
She screamed and he pinned her against the wall.
"And where do you think you're going?" he asked her.
"Let go of me!" she demanded.
"I'm afraid I can't do that," he said.
"Then kill me!" she said.
"Why? Do you want to die, Rachel?"
"You're going to kill me anyway, you might as well do it." More tears ran down her face. Sark brushed them away.
"There, there," said Sark. "I'm not going to kill you. Why don't you come with me."
Jack had only walked about ten paces before someone came up behind him and hit him in the back of his head. He fell to the ground and shot his gun into the darkness in hopes of hitting his attacker. The bullets echoed in the hall but no other noise was heard. The blow to the back of his head caused him a great deal of pain.
"Who's there?" he called. His voice echoed. He was completely blind and had almost no way of protecting himself. There were very few times in his life when Jack Bristow had trembled because he was absolutely frightened. Unfortunately, this was one of those times.