Chapter Six:
Trust Me

"Ok, Kelly. I think that's enough for today," Sydney smiled gently. "I'll see you next week?"

The agent nodded and then proceeded to head out of the office. As she was exiting, Weiss came walking in.

"Oh, Mrs Vaughn," he said, dramatically, collapsing into a chair. "I think I'm going insane. Can you help me?"

Sydney grinned. "I'm sorry Agent Weiss, but the director has already ordered me to file you under 'Lost Causes'. There's nothing that I can do."

"Ah well," Weiss threw up his hands. "Should have realised that would have been the case."

Sydney capped her pen as she leaned back in her seat. "So, what have I done to deserve your illustrious presence?"

"Don't get too excited," Weiss warned. "I'm just here to give you a heads up."

"What about?"

"Sarah just called. She got a call from the school…and I'd say that there will be a message waiting for you and Vaughn at home on the machine- that is if somebody doesn't get to it first."

"Oh god," Sydney groaned. "What have they done now?"

"Nothing too destructive. They had their group orals in English today. Apparently Zoë, Dana and Lexi thought that it would funny to mime theirs."

Sydney blinked. "Well, that's not to bad, compared to some of the stuff they've done. Why a phone call, surely a detention would have sufficed."

Weiss gave a short laugh. "Well, it would seem that their topic was 'Let's Imitate The English Teacher, Principal, Canteen Lady…' I think that you get the picture." He paused. "They even created subtitles on cards so that their message would not get lost through their chosen art form."

Sydney bit back a laugh. "Our creative genius's, hey."

"Yeah, and you only got one to contend with. I scored two. How does that work out?"

Sydney shrugged, a grin on her face. "The fact that we find this funny. We're not encouraging the girls, are we?"

"Nah," Weiss replied breezily. "We're finding it funny behind their backs. When we see them tonight we're going to put on our scary, angry faces and yell."

"Well then, I guess that makes us hypocrites."

"Sydney, Sydney, Sydney," Weiss said. "We are parents- and that makes us many a thing."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. Ask Dixon, ask Marshall- they'll tell you. Now," Weiss sat forward in his seat. "Let's get to the important stuff."

"Lexi, Zoë and Dana in trouble isn't the important stuff?"

"Nope, lunch is." Weiss said. "Come on, get your bag."

"But I've got work to do," Sydney protested.

"So what? It will still be there when you've eaten. Now hurry up. Dixon and Marshall are waiting."

"You wanna see a movie tonight?" Misha asked as he and Ana walked across the university's campus.

"Sure," Ana replied. "Dinner as well?"

"Ok then."

"Good," she gave him a quick kiss. "I've got to go hand this assignment in, so I'll see you tonight?"

Misha nodded and with another kiss, Ana headed off in the opposite direction towards the English faculty.

"Hey Ana!"

She turned, trying to keep her expression blank. It was another guy from her Modern Literature class, Adrian Gregory. She couldn't help but feel that there was something odd about him. Every now and then she would catch him staring at her, and he always seemed to be around.

"Hey Adrian," Ana said, forcing a smile on her face.

"You handing in your assignment?" he asked, falling into step beside her.

"Yeah."

"Me too. We can head over together…if that's ok."

Ana shrugged, wanting to scream "no". Unfortunately her parents had done too good a job in raising her as a respectful person. "It's ok."

If only she had got her act together and handed the assignment in that morning.

"Hey dad." Sydney said as she sat down opposite Jack in a small café a few days later.

"I ordered you a latte," Jack said. "Is that alright?"

"Yeah, it's fine," Sydney shrugged off her jacket. "Thanks."

"How is everyone?"

Sydney rolled her eyes. "Lexi is in trouble- again."

Jack gave a small smile. "Well, that's nothing new," he said. "I take it Zoë and Dana Weiss were involved?"

"Of course."

Jack shook his head slightly. "Those three certainly inherited the part of their parents that has a slight disregard for authority."

Sydney grinned. "Well, I don't know about the twins, but I know that Lexi doesn't just get it from her parents. I'm sure that her grandfather played a large role in it."

"You're probably right," Jack said. "So, why did you need to meet?"

"It's just something that I came across," Sydney said as she reached into her bag and pulled out a folder. "I was going over the transcripts of Lauren Reed's interrogation and she mentioned this name a few times." She handed over the folder. "Freya Gregersen."

"It sounds familiar," Jack mused as he perused the papers before him.

"Until mum told us that it was Elena, the head of the Covenant was unknown- even to those within the organization. This woman, Freya, was the most senior person that Lauren ever dealt with. Now the details of Freya are pretty sketchy, but if you could get somebody to question Lauren—"

"You want to drag Lauren in on this?" Jack asked, surprised. "It's been sixteen years since we've had anything to do with her."

"I know that, and I would like to keep it that way. But we do need more information on Freya." Sydney paused. "I don't know why, but something is telling me that she should be a focus of the CIA. She had, perhaps still does, seniority within the Covenant. That means that she has a connection with Elena."

Jack nodded. "Ok then. I'll get somebody on to it." He stopped as a waiter brought their coffees across. "I should probably also let your mother know, see if she knows anything."

"Are you sure about that?" Sydney asked.

Jack, who had been about to raise his mug to his lips stopped. "Why do you ask?"

"As much as it appears that she is helping us, I can't trust her entirely. If Freya is an important link, then we cannot afford to give her an opportunity to inform Elena that we are looking into her."

Jack drew in a deep breath. "Sydney, you need to understand that your mother despises he sister. She wants to see her go down as much as you and I."

"Dad," Sydney started slowly. "I just don't know…"

"Sydney, I understand that you would find it difficult to trust your mother, but what about me? Can you trust me?"

"Of course I can."

"Well then, can you do that now? Trust that I am doing the right thing by you and your family."

Sydney paused for a long time before giving a short nod. "Ok, I trust your judgement."

"Thank you," Jack said. "Now, what else have you got?"

Approximately 23 years earlier

"Freya, what is it?" Elena asked, shepherding the distraught woman into her house.

"I am so sorry," Freya sobbed. "I didn't know who else to go to. Mum's…gone and I just, I just…" she broke off, covering her face with her hands.

"Freya, tell me what is wrong." Elena demanded, though not unkindly. "I cannot help you if you don't tell me."

Freya drew in a shaky breath, trying to control her racking sobs. "I'm pregnant," she managed to say.

Elena paused, trying to digest what she had heard. "Julian?" she asked gently.

Freya nodded. "I haven't told him…I mean, we were never serious and he's long gone now. I can't break this to him." She looked at Elena. "I know that you have big plans for him and I don't want to be the one to stop that happening."

"But?" Elena pressed.

"But I can't do this alone!"

Elena placed her hands on Freya's shoulders. "Listen to me, you don't have to do this alone. I made a promise to your mother that I would look out for you and I am not about to turn my back on that. If you need help, you've got all you need in me."

Upon hearing Elena say that, Freya appeared to have calmed down a little. "You mean that?"

"Of course I do. Trust me, Freya. I am here for you."

Freya gave a short nod. "But won't this interfere with your plans?"

"Quite the opposite. The two of us, working side by side- think of what we can achieve. There will be no stopping us."

"What is it about Yeats that just puts me to sleep?" Misha asked jokingly as he and Ana walked out of the lecture hall.

"Hey, I like Yeats. I don't want any more bad mouthing of—"

"See ya, Ana."

She turned, giving Adrian a small wave, before looking back to Misha. He was frowning slightly.

"Who was that?"

"Adrian- don't you know him? He's been in the class all semester."

"I've never seen him. I guess he just must have slipped my attention." Misha shrugged. "So, back to this Yeats debate…"

Ana laughed. "How about we just agree to disagree before we say something we regret?"

"Deal." Misha grinned as his mobile started to ring. "Sorry," he said, pulling it out of his bag. Glancing at the caller I.D his face darkened slightly. "Excuse me, Ana," he gave her a quick smile before walking a short distance away to answer the phone.

Ana felt slightly puzzled. Why couldn't he have taken the call in front of her, like he'd always done in the past? She tried to shake it off. After all, she trusted Misha.

"I'm sorry about that," Misha said when he returned a minute or so later.

"Who was it?" Ana asked, trying to sound casual.

"Uh, work," he replied, rubbing the nape of his nape.

"Oh, ok." Ana dropped the subject, but inside there was a feeling of suspicion forming in her stomach like a hard rock. Misha was lying through his teeth.

The only question was, what was he hiding?