God...Nicolas paced around the trailer, sweating and on edge. He didn't know what to do. He knew that Arvin Sloane was after him, because of what he knew...what he made. "I never should have studied Rabamldi. I never should have..." he muttered. It was all he could think about...his death. He continued to pace, then finally stopped and looked around. I gotta get out of here, before Sloane kills me. I gotta... Nicolas nodded to himself and quickly opened the side door to the trailer and jumped out. He slammed the door shut and walked up to the front of it, where it was hooked up to a black Dodge Ram. Just as he walked up to the truck and opened the driver door, off in the distance he heard a fast approaching car. He looked in the direction of the truck. All there was around him was sand. Nicolas never liked populationed places and the thought of hiding out in the Nevada desert always seemed a good idea to him. But the genius he was didn't realize it made him stick out like a sore thumb. He raised his hands up to his eyebrows to block out the glare the sun gave and he made the out the vehacle approaching him. A Hum-V. He didn't need a second look to know who it was inside the armored car, but he suddenly was overcome with fear and couldn't find himself to move. He stood there, shaking, and sweating in the blistering heat as the truck approached. It halted to a stop and a man and woman came out from the truck. "Agent Bristow, Agent Sark..." Nicolas swallowed hard. These two are reasonable, maybe they'll let me go... Sydney and Julian stepped up in front of Nicolas. He looked at them both through their sunglasses and knew their faces masked disappointment. Possible even regret. But it didn't seem that way when Sydney spoke.

"Nicolas, Nicolas, Nicolas," she chanted. "You've made our boss pretty disappointed in you."

Nicolas swallowed hard again, feeling his throat dry up. "I...uh...you see..." he fumbled.

"Why don't we go inside?" Julian suggested. "Where it's more cool."

Nicolas fearfully nodded and went back to the trailer, Sydney following him closely. Julian closed the door to the Ram, and followed them.

Once inside, Julian shut the door and Nicolas turned to them. "I did nothing wrong," he said.

Julian shook his head. "You didn't deliver the artifact with the decoded message written on it," Julian stated.

"And the Rabamldi fluid," Sydney added.

Nicolas raised his hands, begging. He knew enough about these two agents and how they worked, that he didn't want to be on the opposite side of them. God help anyone who pisses them off. "Please, you don't understand."

Sydney pulled out her gun while Julian titled his head, as if he was having fun making Nicolas beg. "Apparently, neither do you."

"Please! What was on that artifact...you don't want to know! I couldn't even finish it!" Sydney stared at Nicolas and raised her gun at his forehead. Nicolas sank down to his knees and held out his hands. "Please! I need more time...that's all. More time!"

"Where's the artifact?" Julian asked.

Oh shit. Nicolas only stared at him, fearful.

Sydney cocked her gun, taking off the safety. "Where is it?"

Nicolas sighed. "The CIA has it."

"So...you did speak to them," Julian stated.

"I was forced to! I swear!" Nicolas plead. "Please, just let me..."

He didn't finish. Sydney pulled the trigger and shattered the man's head to a million pieces, covering half the trailer with his brain matter.

"Let's get out of here," Julian muttered.

He opened the door and Sydney smiled at the mess she had made. Her and Julian, as one, walked back to the Hum-V, and drove away from the scene.

Michael felt his heart pounding in his chest as they reached Casanova's trailer. He, Dixon and Eric jumped out the van, armed, and cautiously approached the trailer. Dixon opened the door and Michael and Eric entered the trailer, gun's raised. Michael dropped his and sighed heavily. Dixon entered and turned away at the sight of Nicolas dead.

"They got here first," Eric said.

Michael shook his head. He knew Eric was talking about SD-6 agents. They're fast, he thought. And work well.

"We have to get back, get more information out of Smith before he stops talking," Michael said. All three men left, with one thought on their mind, one goal. Take down SD-6, and kill the agents who killed Nicolas Casanova.

----------

"Okay, okay, okay," Francie said. She looked directly at Sydney, who was sipping her beer. "You have to dish, about this Michael guy."

Sydney put down her beer and smiled at Francie and Will with that gleam in her eyes. After the mission in Nevada, her and Julian flew back to LA to brief Sloane and the rest of SD-6. Sloane had given them the night off and Sydney planned to take hold of it by getting drunk and having fun with her two best friends.

"Well," Sydney started. "I don't know much, just that, his boss sucks about as much as mine does."

Will finished off his beer and grabbed another. "They all do."

Sydney ignored Will. "Just...his eyes, and his smile, God, I could just melt thinking of it."

"Sounds yummy," Francie commented. Will glanced at her. "What?" she said defensively. "Not that, you're...you know? That I can't melt, with you..." Francie looked away from Will and quickly finished her beer. Sydney smiled at Francie's innocence.

"Well, after you're last breakup, I think it's good you're dating someone not in the same work field as you," Will said.

Sydney's eyes widened. "We're not, dating."

Will cocked his eyebrow. "Oh no?"

Sydney blushed. "We'll, I'd like to, but..."

"Honey," Francie said. "Nothing is an accident, okay? You were destined to meet this guy. This just could be 'the one'"

Sydney smiled. The one, huh? I like that. "Yeah..." Mrs. Sydney Anne Vaughn...

--------

Michael sat outside Starbucks and drummed his fingers. It was already one o'clock in the afternoon, and Sydney had yet to show up. I thought she said she always stopped in. After losing their only lead to Rabamldi and possibly SD-6's endgame in that matter, the CIA and Michael weren't really in the best mood, or even on the winning streak. He hoped to change that with asking Sydney out. However...she hadn't shown up, and he went through his seventh cup of coffee since waiting for her. Michael sighed and looked at his watch. He decided it was a waste of time waiting anymore and resolved to try again tomorrow. He picked up his eyes and turned to leave when he was met by Sydney, who had her arms crossed on her chest and a goofy smile on her face. "Were you waiting for me?"

Michael smiled innocently. "How'd you..."

Sydney shrugged and out her arms to the side of her. "I was watching you wait there for a couple of hours. Seven coffee's is a bit over the top."

Michael laughed. "Yeah, but, I don't feel a thing."

"Really?"

"Swear." Michael slipped his hands in his pockets. "So..."

"So..."

Michael looked around. "Uh...nice day huh?"

Sydney smiled. "You don't do this very often, do you?"

"What?"

"Ask women out." Michael smiled and blushed. Sydney's smile faded and she got serious. "You, do ask women out...right?"

Michael's eyes widen. "Wha-? Yeah. Yes! Of course I do!" Sydney nodded her head. "Women, yes, lots of women." Sydney raised her eyebrow at him. "I mean, not at the same time," Michael covered. "You know, women yes, but...separately. Not...together..." Michael sighed and Sydney smiled at him. "I should just, uh, put a bag over my head, or something..."

"No," Sydney said. "I'd, love to go out with you."

Michael smiled. "Yeah?" Sydney nodded. "Okay, that's...great."

"Okay..."

"Um..."

"You can pick me up at seven." Sydney took out a pen from her purse and wrote on a napkin, then handed it to Michael. "There's my address. See ya later."

"Yes...okay." Sydney smiled at him once more, then walked away. Michael watched her leave, then looked at the napkin.

--------

"You are a player, my man!" Eric said.

Michael shook his head. "No, not really." Michael looked at himself in the mirror at his tie, and sighed, throwing it on the bed and grabbing another one. "You're ties all suck."

Eric ignored his comment. "Are you kidding. You got her name, and her address and you two are going out tonight. It's great! It's, magic!"

Michael sighed. "Not your magic again..."

Eric frowned at him. "Hey, don't start on about magic. It's real, and it brought you and..."

"Sydney."

"...Sydney, together. Okay? Nothing happens by chance. Nothing."

"Really?"

"Damn right. It's called, Destiny." Michael shook his head and Eric walked over to his closet and grabbed two dress shirts and showed them to Michael. "Ok, so what do you think? Blue, or black?"

"You're not coming," Michael stated flatly.

Eric frowned again. "Fine..." He threw a purple tie at Michael who caught. "You can wear that tie then."

"Purple?"

Eric shrugged. "Why not? She thought you were gay once already."