Chapter 14: Returning
Sydney looked down at her paperwork trying to concentrate her best, but to no avail. She pinched the bridge of her nose and quietly sighed as the sounds of cards shuffling were heard. Sydney glanced to her right side to see Michael and Jack engrossed heavily in their work and Nadia staring outside the plane’s window on their trip back to Los Angeles. Tearing her gaze from her sister, Sydney’s eyes landed on Jennifer, who was shuffling her cards, very loudly, and giving Lombardi the evil eye.
“Jennifer,” Sydney sighed. “Can you please stop?”
Jennifer slowly turned to Sydney, the frown never leaving her face, as she stopped shuffling the cards. As a result, one card popped out of the deck and flew in the air, landing on Lombardi’s lap. Sydney narrowed her eyes at Jennifer as Lombardi picked up the card and smiled sweetly at Jennifer.
Jennifer stood up and scowled at him. “This is bullshit,” she muttered before walking away from them and to the back of the plane.
Sydney offered Lombardi a smile. “Don’t mind her.”
“I understand,” Lombardi replied. “She is having a hard time grasping the concept of exactly what evils there are in this world.”
Sydney frowned. “You mean Rambaldi?”
“No…I mean your mother.”
Sydney’s frowned deepened and her paperwork was quickly forgotten. “You think she is alive?”
Lombardi paused then slowly met Sydney’s eyes. “You survived.”
That was all Sydney needed to hear. She always questioned whether Irina was alive just as she was; whether she conceded the mysterious healing abilities that allowed her to safety. It was at that moment that it hit Sydney. If she couldn’t die…then could Irina? “How can I defeat her?” Sydney whispered to herself.
Lombardi heard her however. “You received one of Rambaldi’s gifts from that explosion, didn’t you?” When Sydney didn’t deny it, he continued, leaning closer to Sydney. “You cannot defeat Irina Derevko yourself, Sydney. There is one other person who must help you.”
“Who?”
Lombardi shook his head. “It is not my place, nor the time, to say. This is a war, Sydney. A war that must be won…and lost.”
Before Sydney could ask anymore questions, Lombardi stood up and walked over to the empty seat next to Nadia, distancing himself from Sydney. Sydney stared at the old man for a short time, absorbing his words and warnings. It was at that time when Sydney wondered what was taking Jennifer so long to return.
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Jennifer pressed the phone against her ear and sighed as the man picked up the phone. “I was wondering when you were going to call,” he said on the other side.
Jennifer bit her lip. “We’ve been busy.”
“What did you find out?”
“You didn’t kill Will Tippin’s contact,” she informed him.
“Yes, I did. He was dead…”
“He was a decoy,” Jennifer interrupted. When the air was a dead silence, she continued. “I suppose Lauren Reed isn’t working for the Covenant.”
“What does Lauren have to do with this?”
“Ms. Reed is the one who rescued Will’s contact,” she answered while looking around to make sure no one was listening.
“Why would she do that?”
“I don’t know, but we’re returning to L.A. with Tippin’s contact.”
Silence. “Alright, he will be dealt with. You will give me a full report one hour after you land.”
Jennifer nodded. “Hey, Julian…” When she heard him sigh, she continued. “How is she?”
Julian didn’t answer for a while, which worried her. “She’s doing fine,” he finally answered. Then he hanged up. Jennifer closed her phone and held it to her chest smiling as she felt her tears sting her eyes, threatening to fall down her cheeks.
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Sydney was brought out of her thoughts as Michael took the empty seat next to her and offered her his goofy smile. Sydney blushed and smiled in return. “What?”
Michael continued to smile at her and shook his head. “Nothing.”
Sydney watched as her father handed Lombardi some papers and Lombardi nodded his head, approving whatever was written on those papers. “Did you and my dad find anything out?”
Michael’s smile melted away as he nodded. “Yes. We archived Rambaldi’s notes through the web…”
“Rambaldi’s notes are kept on the internet?” Sydney asked surprised.
“Yeah, you’d be surprised what you can find on there now-a-days. But after looking through them we found out exactly what role this ‘death’ person might play if all of this is in fact true.”
“You don’t believe it?”
Michael shrugged. “To be honest, I don’t know what I believe at the moment.”
Sydney nodded in understanding. “What’d you find?”
“Well…to narrow the complex terms and take out all the big words…” Sydney grinned at Michael’s attempt to lighten the mood and tension. “’Death’ can simply bring the dead back to life.”
Sydney nodded, figuring as much. “And it’s someone close to me?”
Michael nodded looking over at Lombardi. “That’s what the old man says.”
“It could be you for all we know,” Sydney whispered.
Michael looked at Sydney and frowned…then laughed. “I am not death, Sydney.”
“Well, why not?”
“Because…I’m just…not.”
As Sydney was about to respond, Jennifer walked back and sat down in her seat, deep in thought. Sydney and Michael watched her for a moment as Jennifer paid no attention to neither. “Jennifer?” Sydney started.
After a brief few seconds, Jennifer slowly turned to Sydney. “What?” she asked blankly.
“Are you alright?” Michael asked for Sydney.
Jennifer nodded slowly and looked out the window causing Sydney to frown. “Are you sure?” Sydney pushed.
“Why?” Jennifer asked, turning back to them.
“You don’t seem like yourself.”
Jennifer shot Sydney a look. “Go screw yourself,” she muttered.
Sydney smiled. “That’s better.”
