Believe

Chapter Seven

Tips

"Sydney?"

Sydney immediately perked up at the sound of Sark's voice. She hadn't really expected him to answer her phone call. She was actually starting to doubt him as much as she hated to admit it. She had always had this nagging voice in the back of her mind that warned her not to trust him. She had tried, after all, he had proved himself time and again to her to be trustworthy. Yet, it still wasn't enough, for he wouldn't give up his pursuit of Rambaldi and the Covenant to stay with her. That always made her question him, especially in the fact that Rogan had been taken from her by a man that was described to be remarkably close to Sark. Rogan was Rambaldi's child and Rambaldi was the one thing that Sydney knew could make Sark betray her. She really despised how that man managed to ruin her life over and over again, yet had been dead for hundreds of years.

"Sark, I didn't expect you to pick up."

He paused for a moment, but not long enough to raise Sydney's suspicions.

"Sydney, I'm delighted to hear from you."
"They took Rogan."

"Bluntly put, Sydney. Listen, I've already heard about the kidnapping."
"Was it my mother? I know she's behind this."
"I limit my contact with Irina if at all possible."

An evasive answer that didn't actually give her any information that helped. His answer neither confirmed or denied her mother's involvement. In a way, it confirmed it. Sark wasn't exactly loyal to Irina anymore, but he wasn't a snitch, either.

"It was my mother. Sark, do you know where Rogan is? Do you know why she took him? Do you know if Rogan's safe? Do you know if it's because of Rambaldi?"

"I don't know why Rogan was taken."

Again, he didn't answer all of her questions. Sydney felt shivers run down her spine at the tone of Sark's voice. Sark seemed to be placating her, something he had never done before. Sark rarely tried to spare her feelings or keep her from getting upset. In fact, he seemed to relish in the opportunity to get a rise out of her. So his pacifying her only served to worry her more, instead of assuaging her fears.

"They're saying you took Rogan?"
"Are they? The CIA, I assume. Seems to me it is the perfect way to raise your mistrust against me. In fact, it seems to be working smashingly."

Sark actually sounded indignant at her accusation. A small ounce of guilt crept up inside of her. She shouldn't distrust Sark so much. Jumping to conclusions hardly helped the situation.

"Will you help me find him?"

"I'm afraid I have other obligations. I'll keep my eye out for Rogan, though, Sydney."

Sydney felt like she had been punched in the stomach by Sark's expert fist. He wasn't going to help her rescue her baby this time. He didn't care about their history. Maybe he didn't even care about her or her son.

"I won't beg you."

"I don't expect you to. I do wish I could bring Rogan home to you, but I can't."

"You won't even help look for him."

"I-"

"What?" She snapped accusingly.

"I am sorry, Sydney." With those words, the line disconnected. Sydney sat in stunned silence for several minutes before lowering the phone. The fact that Sark had apologized to her was not lost on her. Her eyes darted up to meet Weiss' sympathetic gaze.

"He did. He took Rogan. I can't believe I trusted him. He lied to me for almost the whole conversation."

In a fit of rage, whether it was at herself for semi-trusting Sark or at him for betraying it, she threw the phone at the wall until it shattered into slivers of plastic and colorful wires.

"How do you know, Syd? I doubt he just came right out and saw, 'I took your kid'."

"He apologized."

Rogan felt somewhat like Daniel in the lion's den. Irina and Cole were circling him with interested, fascinated eyes. All the attention made him nervous and incredibly uncomfortable. The woman who said she was his grandma hardly seemed like the grandmother of storybooks. She seemed like she was more interested in studying him like a rat during an experiment, than interested in him. He felt like he was one of the chimpanzees he loved to watch at the zoo when his mommy took him to visit. He had always thought it would be fun to be an animal at the zoo, but now he wasn't so sure. He would definitely not stare so much at the animals after this experience. Irina ruffled his hair finally and stepped back to let Cole examine him as thoroughly as she had. Rogan didn't like Cole and that was incredibly unusual. Rogan more or less liked everyone he met, being the friendly, magnetic personality he was. It was possible that Rogan was starved for companionship that explained his willingness to like everyone. After all, Sydney had basically isolated him - even if it was to protect him - and so he seemed even more content to be an agreeable, people-pleasing little boy. Cole was the only person Rogan had met that seemed slightly frightening and maybe a little cruel under the charismatic exterior. Rogan took an involuntary step back as Cole knelt eye level with him. Rogan wished Sark were in the room again, because Sark could save him from all the bad men. Sark was strong that way and Rogan realized at that moment that he had to be strong like Sark. Sark never got afraid and neither would he. Irina's delighted laughter tinkled in his ears, reminding him of his mother.

"Rogan already knows you're a sociopath, don't you, my bright little one?"

Rogan's wide eyes blinked back at her, the only answer he would give her. Of course, he had no idea what sociopath meant, but he imagined it wasn't good.

Cole reached out and squeezed Rogan's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Little Guy. I won't hurt you. Your father is a very special man and I wouldn't even dream of bringing harm to his son."

Rogan watched him carefully. Mommy had never talked about his daddy before. Rogan had always pretended that his daddy was like Uncle Eric and Grandpa Jack and Dixon all mixed up into one person. Maybe some of Mr. Sark, too, but when he had pretended about his daddy before, he hadn't really 'membered Sark. He'd never really thought about who his father was, though. He just wasn't there and it was bad to ask Mommy about him. Rogan tried to stop himself from asking Cole about his daddy. Cole might use it against him or Mr. Sark when he tried to take him away. But Rogan did anyway.

"You know my daddy?" His voice was tinged with little boy wonderment.

Cole laughed jubilantly and picked Rogan up to swing him around the room.

"I do! Do you want to know him, too?"

"Is he here?" Rogan wriggled out of Cole's grip, wide eyes innocent as he glanced around for the sign of another man.

"Not physically. Your father was incredibly old and he had already died when you were born. Rogan, my man, there is so much about your father you can learn if you want to. We'll teach you."

Rogan didn't answer immediately. He shouldn't say yes or no without talking to Mr. Sark. He would know if Mommy would like him learning about his daddy. He was a little afraid that if he said he wanted to learn about his daddy, they would make him stay. He wanted to go home. Mommy hated not having him around he knew. She would miss him. Especially since he didn't tell her goodbye before he left. She would get back from her 'dult vacation and he was gone, which would make her sad. He missed Mommy, too. Rogan let out a childish sigh - more like an exaggerated breath than a sigh -and shrugged.

"Will Mr. Sark help me learn too?"

"All three of us will. That's our job, kid."

"Your job is to teach me about my daddy?'
"Among other things."

Rogan could imagine having a job just to tell people about their dads. Maybe Mommy knew his grandmother and her friend were telling him about his dad. Maybe Mommy wanted them to. The door opened in the almost silent room, disrupting Rogan's thoughts.

"I believe you have had quite enough time alone with the child, Irina." Sark appeared in the room. Rogan already felt relieved at his presence. How pathetic that a three-year-old had to feel relieved.

"I recall telling you we would come get you when we were done."

"We have a meeting to get on with and I fear I'm growing bored at standing quietly in the corridor while you poison him against me and his mother."

"We've done nothing of the sort, Julian. Your paranoid delusions are creeping up again."

"The only delusions I've had are due to the illusions you orchestrated. Like my mother and her complete goodness."

At the mention of Alecksandria Petrokov a pall fell over the room. Irina bit back a smile as she saw everything fall into place. Of course, Sark didn't realize that Alecksandria was the reason he was in the Council. She and Alecksandria had been the best of friends and the bitterest of enemies. That was why Irina had taken Sark under her wing when Alecksandria had died. Well, that and the prophecies. The foolish boy had no idea he played such parts in the Rambaldi tale. He would learn in due time and fulfill the dreams his mother had had for him. It was better, Alecksandria's murder. She would have had to battle Alecksandria for control of the Covenant and Irina would have inevitably won. It was best that they had never had to face each other in a battle.

"This isn't about Alecksandria. But you are right about the meeting. Take a seat, gentlemen. We will begin this assembly, the first meeting of this complete council."

Rogan walked away from Cole quickly and attached himself to an already seated Sark. Rogan stood dutifully by his side, his little hands clutching Sark's arm. Irina strode around the table as Cole took his chair. She placed a translated prophecy on the center of the table for both eyes to see. All except the three-year-old began to read it reverently, not knowing that a certain section of the prophecy was missing. All, that is, except Irina.