Okay! Here is the next chapter. I hope it is worth the wait...PMs will go out right after I post! Enjoy!
Chapter 8
A plan and a fight
Jack and Sark left the room to talk in the kitchen privately and also to give Sydney a moment with Vaughn and Weiss. The tension in the air from the past moments had to dissipate if they were to all work together.
Vaughn and Weiss looked tentatively over at Sydney. She was still staring at them with the same cold look in her eyes. Even after fifteen minutes, her coldness had not melted the slightest bit.
“You knew where I was and didn’t say anything.” Sydney’s accusatory tone broke the silence.
Vaughn looked away in embarrassment. She was right to be angry with him. He had not done the right thing. But he was still very hurt, and there was no way he would admit to her that he had been wrong. His pride kept him from doing so.
Weiss, less embarrassed than Vaughn, responded “You were with Sark. What were we supposed to think? What were we supposed to tell you when you showed up with no memory?”
“The truth – always tell the truth.” Sydney was firm on that point. “So far, the only person who has told me the truth is Sark. He told me even though it was hard for him to do so. What am I supposed to think about that? I don’t remember being with him, but right now I trust him more than both of you. I never thought that I would ever say that.” Her voice was filled with anger and regret.
Sark, listening from the kitchen, remained quiet through the whole exchange – knowing it wasn’t his place to say anything to the two agents about it. This was Sydney’s battle. He just hoped she could get over it, because the realist in him knew that they needed Vaughn and Weiss for this risky game they were about to go play. He turned back to Jack, and they finished their conversation.
Vaughn finally responded with words, “What did you want me to say? ‘Welcome back Sydney. I thought you were dead for a year, until I found you with the one man I never though I’d see you with – and you didn’t appear to be brainwashed or in his custody – you were kissing him’? How do you think that made me feel?”
Sydney just looked at him coldly, “I’m sure you could have come up with something besides that. But you didn’t, you were too selfish. Don’t you realize that it was not about how you felt? It was about me, not knowing anything about the past two years, and two of the people in this world who mean the most to me choosing not to help me because the truth hurt them too much – giving no thought to how hurt and confused I was.”
Vaughn and Weiss were sufficiently chastised at her tirade. Weiss verbalized his apology, while Vaughn looked away, furrowing his brows. “I am sorry Sydney. I really wish that I had been able to come up with a way to talk to you about this. But you have to admit, it would have been an unbelievable conversation.”
“I agree, but at least I would not be feeling so betrayed by my friend and former lover now.” Sydney softened her tone in appreciation at Weiss’ admission. However she was still glaring coldly at Vaughn, who had yet to admit any fault.
At the words ‘former lover’ Vaughn winced. Sydney had sounded so final. He now had even more reason to hate the blond haired assassin, Mr. Sark.
At this point Jack stepped into the conversation, he and Sark coming back from the kitchen, “That is all the time we have for this conversation. You have to put your differences aside. Sydney, we need them to find out what happened to you – we cannot do this with just Sark, you, and me. Look at what happened when we did that before – Sloane caught up with us.” As always, Jack Bristow was the voice of reason to temper his daughter’s emotions.
Sydney nodded quietly, and Sark put his hand on her shoulder, giving her his full support. Suddenly, having Sark watching her back calmed Sydney down even more than her fathers words had. Sark was on her side – and that was comforting.
Vaughn watched the subtle changes in Sydney in response to Sark’s touch. I used to make her feel like that, he silently berated himself for ever letting her go. He threw a glare at Sark, which did not go unnoticed by the other man.
Sark would have commented, but Jack spoke up and said, “Sark and I were just discussing our possibilities. I have some intelligence that I think can help us, if we would like to get started planning now.”
Jack, having lived at the French vineyard that was Sloane’s base of operations, was extremely knowledgeable about the layout. According to what Jack had found out – Il Dire was still assembled and was stored in a special basement room in the main house. The problem was that Sloane would most likely have it moved – he would not risk Jack knowing where it was and how to get to it.
That being said, the only thing they could really do is send in Sark and Sydney to find out where Il Dire was being held. The ideal plan was to take the machine hostage for Sydney’s memories – that was the goal, but that was not realistic.
After hours of conversation, all five of them were exhausted from thinking. There they were – Sydney, Sark, Jack, Weiss, and Vaughn – all sitting around the living room. There were papers spread around the coffee table; pictures of Sloane’s vineyard, various intelligence reports, and Jack’s blueprint of the vineyard. Sloane was a slippery fish to catch, but they were all looking forward to the opportunity. That was the only thing that kept them going. However, it was time for a break.
Weiss slipped off to Sark’s study to catch up on some sleep – feeling more comfortable using the couch in there instead of one of the bedrooms. He could only imagine what had gone on in either of the beds. Visions of Sark and Sydney together were enough to keep him from trying to nap there.
Sark, feeling the stress and frustration of the situation with Vaughn decided to head into the back room, which actually took up half of the safe house and was used as a training room – complete with a punching bag, various obstacle courses, and even a mini-firing range that was closed off from the rest of the room.
Sark wrapped some tape around his hands and began to attack the punching bag. Every time his fist or foot hit the bag, it made a loud thud that resonated through the entire room.
Right hook – Left hook – Kick - Uppercut – Jab – Kick – Left hook – Right hook
He beat the punching bag to a pulp, his knuckles bloody and bruised. It got to the point where the punches were overkill. The bag was about to fall apart underneath his hands. His arm was poised for one last punch that was likely to cause the punching bag to fall to the ground when he heard a very angry voice speak.
****************
The other three men had left the room, leaving Sydney and Jack alone in the midst of all the papers.
“Sark and I discussed what you will need to do once you arrive at Sloane’s.” Jack waited until they were alone to fill Sydney in on what he and Sark had discussed in the kitchen.
“Why are you waiting until now to tell me?” Sydney looked at her father somewhat confused. They had just spent hours discussing the situation.
“Vaughn and Weiss will not initially accept this solution. I want you and Sark to be off to France before I bring it up. Besides, it was important to discuss those other options.” Jack spoke cryptically, which was starting to worry Sydney.
“Okay,” Sydney was hesitant, knowing she would not like what her father was about to say.
Jack started with the easier instructions. “First, we have a bug that we want you to use in Sloane’s study. Weiss and Vaughn know about that.”
“How does this bug work?”
“It’s pretty simple. Remember the bug that Marshall created that is in the wire, not the phone?”
“Yes. Is it like that?”
“Yes, it is Marshall’s upgraded version of that bug. It should be able to get past any anti-bug devices that Sloane is equipped with.”
“Okay, that makes sense. What is the other thing you want to tell me?”
“Most likely you will have to activate Il Dire, just like Sloane wants. But you need to know that this is the last resort. If you can get to the trigger before you have to activate Il Dire, do. We don’t know what this machine will do to you. However, if you need to go that far, once the message is relayed, Sloane is disposable.” Jack sat back and watched his daughter’s reaction, preparing for the worst.
“You want me to activate Il Dire if it comes to that.” Sydney repeated the words out loud. She figured this is what her father was about to say. However, it was a frightening thought.
“Dixon feels that the best way to help the CIA out in this is to find out what Il Dire says. Then, Sloane is expendable, and we will be ahead of the others.”
“So, we find out what Il Dire says, and then kill Sloane.” Sydney was taking the plan better than Jack had imagined. It only proved to increase his pride in his daughter. She was strong and she was determined to find her lost memories.
“If that is the only way, then yes – activate Il Dire. Dixon would prefer taking Sloane into custody, but if he resists too much, do not worry about his life. Sark is under orders to kill him if he moves the wrong way, once you have recovered your memories.”
“I understand.”
“Good, now you should get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day and you need to be rested when you get to Sloane. You have to be convincing.”
“I know dad.”
“Good luck.”
Sydney went over to Jack and gave her father one last hug. They both knew that it was time to push the emotional reunion aside, and get back into the game.
****************
“You’re good, I’ll give you that much” the angry voice of Michael Vaughn invaded Sark’s thoughts.
“I have no idea to what you are referring, Agent Vaughn.” Sark returned the comment with his usual sarcastic tone, complete with the smirk that made Vaughn’s anger rise even more.
“Whoever you are really working for, you seem to have Sydney and Jack fooled. You must be good to have Jack Bristow fooled. Perhaps you learned that from Irina Derevko.” Vaughn tried his best to get a rise out of Sark.
“Again, I have no idea what you are talking about. I am not working for anyone but myself. I truly care about Sydney and I have a partnership with Jack.” Sark faced Vaughn, a challenge clearly in his eyes and his tone.
“I don’t believe you. A man like you doesn’t change: once a killer, always a killer.”
“I haven’t really changed. I’m the same person I always was. The only thing that is different is where my loyalties lie.” Sark calmly shot down Vaughn’s insult with another smirk.
“You have no loyalties.”
“While that was once the case, I do now. All my loyalties lie with Sydney.” Sark threw that jab in, just to rub in what Vaughn had lost.
Hearing that made Vaughn red with rage and jealousy and he could no longer hold it in. Vaughn lunged at Sark with a right hook. Sark was caught off guard for that one punch, but when Vaughn’s next jab came – he was able to deflect it by grabbing Vaughn’s wrist and holding it with an iron grip. “I don’t want to fight you Agent Vaughn.”
“Are you afraid to fight me, Sark?”
Sark released Vaughn’s wrist. “No. I don’t want to hurt you – as much as I hate this, we need you for what we are about to do.”
“Just as I thought – the all terrifying Mr. Sark is just the façade of a bitter boy in search of attention.” Vaughn tried to imitate Sark’s cocky tone and smirk.
Screw this, Sark thought. Vaughn can do his job slightly bruised.
With those words still hanging in the air, Sark raised his fist and punched Vaughn right in the middle of his face.
“F***! You broke my nose you son of a b****.”
Vaughn once again lunged at Sark, and the two traded punches and kicks for the better part of an hour – breaking every once and a while to catch their breaths.
It ended of course, with Sark knocking Vaughn’s feet out from under and Vaughn lying on the floor – bloodied and bruised. Sark pulled out a knife and held it up to his throat. “If you ever accuse me of having an ulterior motive again, I will not hesitate to kill you. Believe me, Sydney will understand. You will not endanger this mission.”
Vaughn pushed up at Sark. He sat up and nodded. “Just stay the hell away from me, and this situation will all work out fine.”
“I guess it’s a good thing I leave for France tomorrow with Sydney.” With that, Sark left the room, leaving Vaughn to clean up the mess that his own stupidity had created.
****************
The next day
Hours after leaving Jack, Weiss, and a sheepish bruised Vaughn, Sydney stepped out of the passenger door of the car. Sark was holding the door open for her. He shut the door and offered his arm for Sydney to use as support.
“Remember, Sloane has to believe that you are unaware of anything except that you need his help. Are you ready?” He asked.
“I’m ready. It’s time to get this show on the road.”
They walked up to the elaborate French vineyard that was Sloane’s base of operations. The house was incredibly beautiful, and it was surrounded with hundreds of rows of grapes. It seemed a shame that such evilness lay in such a place of beauty.
Sloane opened the front door, having seen their car pull up on his surveillance. He went out to meet them as if they were old friends coming for a visit. Game faces on, Sydney and Sark went up the walkway towards the open door.
“Welcome to my humble home. It is a pleasure to see you Sydney. I am so glad that you have decided to visit.” The fatherly tone in Sloane’s voice caused shivers of disgust to run through Sydney’s body.
With that, they followed Sloane inside and the front door shut. They were in.
)Anywho, another amazing chapter. I love the fact that your going to have Sid, Vaughn, and Weiss work together on this mission. It's diffently going to lead to some very interesting chapters!!! Thanks for the...thanks! :lol: Your very welcome! I love reading you work! 
:thud: There are no words, Amy, to describe where my imagination ran with this. 