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dandan: No, there is nothing 'weird' with Lexi- Lexi is just Lexi.

Chapter Twelve:
Crisis

"Irina contacted me. She got her hands on a picture of Freya and her son," he pulled a photograph out of his pocket and handed it to Sydney. "Here."

Sydney took one look at the photo and felt her throat constrict. "Oh my god," she whispered, covering her mouth with her hand as her stomach rolled threateningly. Vaughn's grip on her shoulder's tightened, and she heard him inhale sharply.

'What?" Jack asked.

"It's Misha," Vaughn said.

Jack's eyes widened. "You know him?"

Sydney looked up, meeting his gaze. "He's Ana's boyfriend."

xxxxx

Ana opened the car door and climbed in. "Thank you for coming."

Misha reached across and clasped her hand. "You don't have to thank me," he said. "You can always come to me, you know that."

Ana gave him a smile as she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Yeah, I do."

"So," Misha shifted the car into gear, "where to?"

"Anywhere but home," Ana sighed.

Misha pressed the accelerator, a small smile playing on his lips. "As you wish."

"Oh. My god, oh my god, oh my god." Sydney was bordering on hysteria as she paced around the living room. "She is probably with him now…our daughter has been dating a Rambaldi freak…oh god." She stopped short, looking at Vaughn with wide eyes. "We let Sark's son into our house. We made him feel welcome and fed him while all the while…" she slumped down onto the couch. "I feel sick."

"Ok right. Be in touch." Jack flipped his phone shut. "The CIA is all over this. They've released photos of Ana, Misha and Freya to the LAPD and FBI- everybody is going to be looking for them."

"How could we not have picked up on something, realised that Misha was not all he seemed?" Sydney said. "How could Ana not? She let this person into her life, when…"

"Billy knew," Vaughn spoke up quietly. "That night that Misha came over. Billy told me that there was something about him."

Sydney stood up from the couch. "I need to do something. I can't just sit here and do nothing."

"Sydney," Jack started gently. "I understand, but at this stage there is not a whole lot that you can do. We can't even be certain if Ana is with him."

"Yeah right," Sydney snorted. "She just had a huge fight with her mother. Of course she is going to go straight to her boyfriend."

"Ok then. But Misha has been around Ana for months and has made no move. Who is to stay that he is going to tonight?"

"Who cares if he is not going to make a move? Ana is out there with a member of the organization who wants her or her brother dead!" Sydney yelled.

"Ok," Vaughn stood up. "How about we go for a drive, look around the streets? It's not a lot but it's something."

Jack nodded. "You two go. I'll stay here with Billy and Lexi."

"We'll have our phones," Vaughn replied. "Keep us informed."

Sydney nodded. "Please," she said, her expression softening slightly. "Dad."

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Misha had taken Ana to a small out of the way café. All she had told him was that she had a huge fight with her mother, but no other details.

However, Misha was somewhat pleased by the news. By all other reports he had received Sydney and Ana had a very strong relationship. The fact that there were cracks showing meant that he was doing his part in the plan successfully.

But then there was the other side of him, the side that felt racked with guilt. Guilt over what he was doing. As much as his mother had tried to convince him that what he felt for Ana was a superficial attraction, Misha knew that it was not. He had fallen for Ana. Hard.

"I'm just going to the bathroom," Ana's voice broke into his thought. As he watched her walk off, the mobile in his pocket started to ring.

"Hello."

"Misha, it's me."

"Mum?" He frowned. They weren't due to speak for another week or so. "What is it?"

"We need to move things forwards. We're moving onto the next phase tonight."

Misha's heart skipped a beat. "Tonight? Why the sudden change?"

"Elena believes that you have been identified- apparently there is a photograph of the two of us. It won't be long before the information is relayed."

Misha closed his eyes briefly. "Are you and Elena sure that we can do it tonight?"

"Yes. Can you get to Anastasie?"

"I'm with her right now."

"Good. Here's what we are going to do…"

Sydney's eyes were trained onto the passing streets. "Tell me she's going to be ok," she whispered to Vaughn who was behind the wheel of the car.

"Syd, this is Ana. She's got your genes. She is going to be fine."

Sydney glanced at him for a second, before returning her eyes to the window. "Do you even believe those words?"

"I am trying to," Vaughn replied, somewhat grimly.

Sydney jumped slightly when her mobile, sitting on the dashboard started to ring. Without taking her eyes off the road, she answered it.

"Dad?"

"Yes."

"What have you got?"

"There have been a few sightings of a person matching Ana's description- all of them alone. However, somebody believes that they saw her climbing into a black 4WD about an hour ago. We've got a partial plate and are running a check now."

"Ok," Sydney did not feel the slightest bit relieved by the news. "Anything else?"

"Not specific." Jack paused. "But maybe you should try looking at your old warehouse."

"Huh?"

"You never know what you might find there," Jack replied cryptically. "Look, Weiss is coming over here to watch over Billy and Lexi so I can head across. I should be there in about half an hour."

Sydney suddenly clicked. "Got it. We'll meet you there."

"Meet him where?" Vaughn queried when Sydney had hung up the phone.

"The warehouse," Sydney replied. "My mother will be there."

"Where are we going, Misha?" Ana asked, staring out of the car window. None of the almost deserted streets appeared familiar to her.

"Somewhere special," Misha replied vaguely.

Ana let out a soft laugh. "You know if I didn't trust you so much I'd be pretty scared about now. A guy driving a girl off to some strange place in the dark. It's like a premise for a tacky horror movie."

Misha did not reply as he pulled the car off the road and to a stop at what looked to be some kind of lookout point. "We're here," he said, quietly.

"What is this place?" Ana asked. She made to open her door but stopped when Misha reached across, grabbing her arm.

"Hang on a sec."

She smiled. "Why?"

Misha shrugged. "I just wanted to talk to you for a bit."

"What about?"

"I don't know…everything."

Ana let out another laugh. "What is with you? You've been so vague ever since we left the café."

"Ana," Misha's tone was urgent. "You know that I care about you."

"Of course I do."

He hesitated. "I don't think that I've ever felt this way about a person before. You are amazing Ana."

For some reason Ana heard Billy's voice in the back of her mind.

"He's bad news, I know it."

Her throat suddenly constricted. She didn't know why, but she suddenly believed those words. She was in danger and she had to get out of there.

"Ana," Misha placed hand on hers and she fought the urge to flinch. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, trying to keep her voice steady as she thought frantically. "I was just thinking that maybe I should head home, or at least call to let them all know that I am ok."

"Can you wait just a minute?"

'No,' Ana thought, but instead replied, "Why?"

Misha did not get a chance to answer. Ana's passenger door flew open and an alcohol soaked rag was clamped over her nose and mouth.

As everything started to blur, Ana's eyes took one last look at Misha.

"I'm sorry, Ana," he whispered. "I am so sorry."

Jack was waiting for Sydney and Vaughn outside the warehouse, his phone pressed to his ear.

"Ok then," he said as they approached. "Keep in touch…Dixon," he explained, hanging up. "No new news."

"Surprise, surprise," Sydney muttered. "Is she here?"

Jack nodded. "Inside." He turned on his heel, leading the way. "Irina?" he called out softly.

"Here," she stepped into their view. Seeing Sydney her eyes softened sympathetically. "Sydney, I am so sorry that this is happening."

"What is happening?" Sydney asked alarmed. "We don't know that anything has…what do you know?"

"Elena has gone AWOL," Irina replied. "My people lost track of her and several of her associates, including Freya, a few hours ago."

Vaughn's hand instinctively went to Sydney's, gripping it tightly. "You don't know where she is?" he asked.

"There are a few leads in the information I do have, but I do not yet know if they are viable. However…" Irina trailed off, her voice faltering.

"What is it, Irina?" Jack demanded.

"From what I have gathered, it would seem that all signs are leading to the conclusion that Elena is nearing the completion of her plan."

A/N: Only five more chapters to go...