Chapter 5
“Sydney, I didn’t expect to see you until tomorrow. What is on your mind?”
“Vaughn. I saw him last night. And before you tell me that I am delusional hear me out. He came in the middle of the night and told me that there were people looking for him. People that are trying to kill him. And that he orchestrated his death to protect me and our child.”
“This is a very common occurrence when someone you love is gone. But the first step to making it stop is acceptance. You cannot live in denial forever; Vaughn was shot at point blank range in front of you. It is a miracle he made it to the hospital. Sydney you are a genius; you know Vaughn can’t be alive. No matter how many times you tell yourself that there was something in the water you gave him before he died that caused him to live, or that your father planned this somehow, it won’t change the facts. I am sorry, but Vaughn is dead.”
Sydney looked in Dr. Barnett’s cold blue eyes. “It is not fair! Vaughn should be here for me and my baby!”
Dr. Barnett smiled sensing a break through, “Sydney, in 1969 Elizabeth Kubler-Ross outlined the five stages of grief of someone who is dying. Often psychiatrists find that these stages often occur in people who have lost someone they love. And you have just made a seamless transition from denial and isolation to anger.”
Sydney’s eyes narrowed, “Thank you Dr. Barnett, I will see you tomorrow.” Sydney was furious. How dare Dr. Barnett sum up all of her emotions in anger! She went in the briefing room, because this was to be her second first day back. Sitting at the table were Jack, Marshall, Rachel, Nadia, Weiss, Will, Dixon, and Sloane. When Sydney saw Sloane her mouth opened to protest, but Jack stopped her.
“Sydney, he has been cleared. I told him about Vaughn’s death.”
Sydney purposely didn’t look at Sloane, “I still don’t trust him.”
Jack resumed his briefing, “After the Scooter Libby fiasco, it is still dangerous for the CIA to carry out the simplest of missions, so they have been relayed to us. Viktor Yushchenko is Gordon Dean’s second in command. He is a Russian dignitary and will be hosting a party tomorrow evening. Our objective is to obtain the data stored on his computer which is in his office. Sydney you are on point, Dixon you are on comms. This is a simple mission. That is all.”
Sydney drove home after an unsatisfying day at the office. She had to wait until tomorrow to go on a mission, and the mission was a mirror of her first mission ever. Go in get intel get out. When she got home no one was there but Weiss. “Hey! Where is everyone else?” Weiss feigned hurt, “I am not good enough for Sydney?” Sydney smiled at him. “Nadia and Rachel went shopping; they were supposed to be home 15 minute ago. Will is just out. He didn’t say where to.” Sydney laughed, “Girls and shopping, you can’t stop us.” She felt a twinge of pain in her lower back. “Isabelle agrees.” Sydney sat on the couch. She felt another pain, “Weiss,” she called out nervously. “Yeah?” Sydney put one hand on her stomach and felt her uterus tightening.
“Weiss, I think something is wrong.” Hearing Sydney say that in a shaky voice was all it took. Weiss dashed over and knelt next to Sydney. “Sydney do you think the baby is coming?” he tried for Sydney’s sake to keep his voice level. She closed her eyes, “I don’t know, it is not her kicking. But it is too early for her to come.” Weiss helped Sydney to her feet. “We are going to the hospital.” He supported her as she slowly walked to the car. When they were on the way to the hospital Weiss kept glancing at Sydney who was doing her LaMaze breathing. “Sydney, squeeze my hand as hard as it hurts.” Weiss regretted that the second he said it. Sydney clamped down on his hand with such an inhuman strength that within ten seconds Weiss’s fingers changed from white to a mottled purple. He sped into the hospital’s parking lot and left the car in front of the hospital with the keys in the ignition and leapt out of the car and helped Sydney inside. When they were in the emergency room, a doctor escorted Sydney into an exam room. Weiss was left outside wringing his hands waiting for news. A nurse came and told him, “If your wife is in labor, she will be sent to the neonatal unit for her delivery. There is no need to worry Mr. Vaughn. This hospital has the best neonatal unit in California.” Weiss was taken aback, “I am not Mr. Vaughn. He passed away. I am just Sydney’s friend. But thanks you for the reassurance.” The doctor came out of Sydney’s room.
”Sydney is not in labor. She is having Braxton Hicks contractions. We are going to give her pain medication and she will be just fine.”
“Can I see her?”
”Of course.”
Weiss walked into Sydney’s room where she looked completely relieved, “The baby is fine.”
Weiss sighed, “You’re fine. Let’s go home.”
Sydney fell asleep on the way home.
MOSCOW
Even though Sydney was pregnant, she looked drop dead gorgeous in her outfit. She was blonde with blue eyes and had on a red strapless dress. She walked to the second floor where Yushchenko’s study was. There was a guard standing on duty outside of the door. Sydney clutched her stomach and started to cry, “Get in ambulance! The baby’s coming!” The guard ran to the guard’s station to call the ambulance. Dixon was frantic as to how to get Sydney out if the building to safely deliver her baby without compromising her safety. “Sydney, hold on don’t let the guards take you to the hospital! I will be right here!” Sydney laughed as she finished picking the lock on the door. “Relax, Dixon! I was faking.” Sydney retrieved the data and met Dixon at the extraction point. “You almost gave me a heart attack Bristow. Never do that again.”
Los Angeles
“Sydney, how was your mission in Moscow?”
“It was a success. We have a lead on Dean. I am sorry about yesterday; I was so overwhelmed about my first day back. I really need the closure of finding and killing Dean that I never got from Danny’s death.”
”I am glad that you have come to terms with Vaughn’s death.”
When Sydney walked out of Barnett’s office, Rachel greeted her. “Sydney, we need to talk. I am being transferred to Langley to be head of op-tech.” Sydney smiled, “Congratulations, Rachel.” Rachel looked concerned, “You are going to be okay with out me right?”
“Of course.”
That night Vaughn didn’t come to see Sydney.