A/N:

There is another chapter. Thanks to my betas phnxgrl and Maverick41. You guys are a big help.

I would also like to thanks my readers. You guys, you´ve been terrific. I´m also happy to announce, that by the beginning of next month I will post the first chapter of a new story called "Equal." Anyway, as always, leave a review and enjoy the story.

:-)

...

… A Day Later…

"Dude, could you stop staring through me? It's kind of creeping me out…" Sergei Thrichenko said.

Sergei was the top engineer in the group, and only the second technician in the current Cipher project. Plus he was the informal apprentice of Charles Irving Bartowski. Sitting across the table from him was Andre Hall. Andre, to put it kindly, was most unpleasant to anybody outside his circle of trusted acquaintances. And Thrichenko found that out first hand many times.

While struggling, Hall leaned across the table and spoke. "You should be happy that you're not the object of my interest…Well, sort of." He claimed.

"Why?" the question slipped out of the IT's mouth before he had a chance to stop himself.

Thrichenko should have known better than to converse with the guy who was practically second in command. He needed to learn to just let things be. Andre Hall was still a big unknown to Sergei even after 10 years since he first met the man.

Andre's eyes dangerously narrowed. "If I wanted you to be dead you would be dead! You can trust me on this one."

"Alright…" Sergei said as he visibly gulped. Andre's vulture eyes were driving him crazy. He knew full well how Hall felt about nerds.

"I'm guessing that this isn't a social call to express our productive working relationship. So, what exactly do you want from me?" Sergei inquired.

"Actually, you might be on to something here." The second in command forced a smile. "You see, being social would improve your communicative skills. One day, you'll be able to get a girl without making yourself look like an idiot."

"Thank you for the life lesson, is that all?" Sergei was starting to get really uncomfortable with his superior, and not in a funny way.

Some people believe that in order to get through difficult meetings with their superiors, they should use their imagination. They think that imagining your bosses wearing funny clothes...or no clothes at all...or in the throes of a huge hangover will make it easier to deal with them. Yeah, it wasn't working right now. Mr. Hall was just too damn intimidating.

"No," Andre answered, his voice getting lower. "How's Bartowski?"

"He's fine considering…" Sergei shrugged.

"Will you be able to finish the project?" Hall asked, causing Thrichenko's eyebrows to rise after hearing his request.

"What? No…Absolutely not! Are you suggesting…?" Fear started to crawl its way up his back.

I'm not suggesting anything. I'm just sticking with the facts. The kid's been getting bolder by the day ever since blondie showed up…I don't like it." Hall said.

"But the boss said…" Sergei protested.

"I could give a damn what the boss said. With his kind of leadership, we all would go straight to hell!" Andre exclaimed as his hand smashed onto the dinner table.

"What do you want me to do?" The IT sighed.

While conflicted, Sergei understood that this whole contract was one big mess. But on the other hand he respected Charles Bartowski. The guy was a tech wiz without question. That was something Sergei admired and there for, it was that much harder to carry out anything that may get the guy hurt or even worse, killed in the end.

"Something fishy is going on here. Keep an eye on them." the second in command gave his unofficially official order.

So the IT did the only thing he could at that particular moment. He nodded.

Our two men left the "diner", neither noticing the cook who just stopped the recording.

The way things now going, I´ll better get medal for this… Stacy thought to herself, while a small grin appeared on her face.

…

Happiness, sadness, and confusion were the recent feelings Sarah Walker had experienced. It was the most bizarre cocktail of emotions she had ever felt. Quite frankly it scared the hell out of her.

She had more than enough experience to know that the situation she was currently in wasn't in her favor by a long shot. Yes, she could move almost without help. Her head wasn't hurting and spinning that much anymore. However, her mind wasn't as kind.

Recent events made Sarah rewind and analyze things. Obviously, for whatever reason, they didn't want her dead. Sarah heard a man talking with a guard who was on shift that day. He was asking about her condition, the amount of dosage for a test and some kind of shipment. She couldn´t make much sense about most of it, but it was perfectly clear that it involved her in some way.

Then there was Chuck. This man clearly had a personal interest in her survival. She wanted to believe that his concern was genuine. Though, the more Sarah thought about it, the more she found herself wanting to reject it. There were a number of questionable events which led her to believe that Chuck's concern was purely for selfish reasons.

People always have hidden motives and this man is no exception. She thought.

Sarah was sitting at the table in her tent.. It reminded her of some of the cells she had the honor of visiting a couple years back. At least this prison looks a little more comfortable, all things considered. Being alone with her thoughts became a very familiar routine, one she knew from her early days.

Just focus on the task at hand and don't let anything distract you. This type of conviction started to show its weakness ever since Bryce came into Sarah's life. Now that he was dead, her primal agent instincts and senses, honed by training and combined with her recent near-death experience, seemed to come back with a vengeance. This was probably why she was able to react on a barely audible sound. Sarah rose from her chair, using the sharp end of a spoon to surprise her attacker.

"Hey, hey, hey, friendly here…" Chuck tried to use all of his willpower not to be afraid of this woman. When she wanted she could be pretty scary.

Sarah actually sighed as she dropped the spoon back on the table.

"Why did you come here Chuck?" Sarah asked.

"Well I wanted to bring you some fruit and check on how you're doing," he answered showing a plate with something that looked like a giant pumpkin of some sort, on it.

Sarah looked at the plate and deemed it harmless.

"And what's the thanks I get? You pulling that spoon stunt on me and scarring me half to death." He tried not to show how rattled he really was.

"I have a right to defend myself…" Sarah retorted. At this point, Sarah wondered why she felt the need to justify her actions to Chuck.

"Sarah, that's not the point. What if it was somebody else instead of me? What would you do then?" Chuck asked.

"I would have thought of something…" Sarah stated, confident in her abilities.

"You would be dead." Chuck made his case.

"So …" Sarah spat out

Chuck was, to put it lightly, shocked.

"So, is that it? After everything you've been through, and after all the second chances you've wasted, you're just going to give up?!" Chuck asked incredulously.

Sarah was having trouble keeping her voice low as to not alert the guard. She poked her finger into Chuck's chest.

"You don't have even the faintest idea what I've been through!" Sarah exclaimed.

Something just changed. Seeing how vulnerable Sarah really was behind that mask was really painful. Chuck just felt the need to stroke Sarah's cheek. Surprisingly, she didn´t pull away.

"You're right I don't. I just find it hard to believe that such a strong, beautiful woman has no one to live for." Chuck alluded.

Sarah could only gasp before realizing that Chuck was leaving.

"You see Sarah, it isn't always a spoon or a pumpkin. Sometimes, it´ just about something in between, that tie those things together, something that gives them purpose. " He gave her a sad smile and left.

…

Some things that Chuck said had hurt her to her core. But he was right. It took Sarah a minute to take in her surroundings and regain some composure. Thinking about Molly, her parents, and to her own surprise, those were things that kept her going. Holding in her tears Sarah mentally slapped herself.

..I was so stupid…

The blond goddess now in full agent mode came to the table and examined the 'pumpkin.' Getting rid of the upper crust, she eventually found a hidden note and a syringe in the other part of the fruit.

Switch the syringe on your bed side table.