/I pretend that the opposite's true/Rivers flow backwards/Valleys are high/Mountains are level/Truth is a lie/ - Dolly Parton "The Grass is Blue"

Part 5: Truth be Told

The door to Sydney's cell creaked as it was opened, and two guards pulled her unceremoniously to her feet, practically carrying her from the room before she could get her feet under her.

Jack Bristow looked up as everyone settled into their chairs in the briefing room.

Sydney was weak, pale, and tremors occasionally chased their way down her frame, but she'd be damned if she'd let them see how much she was suffering, so she managed to make it the rest of the way mostly under her own steam to a room where Sloane waited for her.

"Inside Rambaldi's manual, hidden on page 47, were formulas for several serums."

Sloane tsked as he caught sight of her. "Sydney" he said in a tone she assumed was supposed to sound paternal. "It's been days and you're still resisting the formula, putting unnecessary stress on your system in the process."

"One of those serums is purported to be the next link in the chain to Rambaldi, but only works on someone called 'The Passenger'."

"This process isn't supposed to be so painful, but resistance makes it so. So how long do you think you can keep this up?" Sloane asked. "How long do you think it'll be before your body can't take any more?"

"Sloane believes Sydney is this Passenger."

Sydney looked back at Sloane, her expression indifferent. "Did this work the last time you kidnapped me? I can't remember, yet I'm still tired of your tactics."

"His proof is the other serum, which also only works on the Passenger."

"Sydney" Sloane said to her softly and a carefully blank expression settled over her face. "Where do you think you were those two years that you can't remember?"

"Why don't you tell me? You obviously have all the answers here."

"Sydney Bristow died in that fire on May 5th 2005."

"The apartment fire was real" Sloane said, his voice still soft. A chill chased its way down her spine. "You died in that fire Sydney. We took your corpse from the morgue and arranged for another body to be cremated . . . You had a purpose to serve Sydney, and Rambaldi saw to it that you would live to serve that purpose. On Page 47 of the manual there was a formula for your regeneration. The ingredients were put together in a lab in Japan . . ."

Jack waited for the noise in the briefing room to quiet down before continuing.

Lies, all lies, she tried to tell herself . . .

"The other serum was meant for resurrection of the Passenger" Jack continued and this time the silence was deafening.

"The formula only worked on you . . . I tried it on Emily . . ." Sloane's voice shook, and Sydney twitched, still not meeting his eyes.

"How did you obtain this information Jack? . . . How do we know any of this is even true? Is there evidence?"

"Don't you remember Sydney?"

He was still speaking so softly. She wanted to protest, wanted to yell, but her throat was closed.

"The regeneration was slow . . . so slow . . . It took the better part of two years . . . We tried to make it less painful . . . Wanted to induce a coma, but the scientists weren't sure how that would interfere with the drug . . . Sydney, don't you remember?" he asked again, softly.

Sloane's words seemed to be unlocking memories she'd sealed for a reason . . .

The room began to tilt as memories of screaming until her voice was gone began to erupt in her mind.

"You were dead, Sydney."

Oh god

"You were dead."

oOo

~*Lie to me*~

How much can a heart and a troubled mind take
Where is that fine line before it all breaks
Can one end their sorrow
Just cross over it
And into that realm of insanitive bliss

There's snow in the tropics
There's ice on the sun
It's hot in the arctic
And crying is fun

~ Dolly Parton "The Grass is Blue"