We have not seen the last of Agent Michael Vaughn. That was the word from the set of "Alias" yesterday.
Michael Vartan's character, Agent Vaughn, Sydney's husband and the father of her unborn child, was gunned down in a hail of bullets during the series' Sept. 29 opener.
But the actor was on the set yesterday shooting a scene, according to an "Alias" cast member.
The cast member clammed up when asked what Vartan was shooting or even if it was the obligatory flashback.
Fan sites have been abuzz about Vaughn's demise since early in the summer, when word leaked out that he would be killed off in season five.
"I still let myself hope that this is all some crazy 'Alias' scheme and that Sydney and Vaughn will eventually be together again," wrote one fan on the Television Without Pity Web site.
At that time, executive producer Jeff Pinkner told Entertainment Weekly: "The rumors of (Vaughn's) demise are greatly exaggerated." And more recently, he has intimated that Vartan is still actively involved in the show.
An ABC spokesman said Vartan is not "a regular" anymore and he is not under contract, before adding cryptically, "But keep in mind this is 'Alias.'"
Meanwhile, Vartan's representative said the actor is "actively looking for work," according to People magazine.
He has already filmed an episode of Fox's "Kitchen Confidential," which is rumored to bow Nov. 14 when the show returns to the schedule.