A/N ok, just for Kristi, and everyone else who's been so swank and read this, here's the next chapter
enjoy!
Chapter 4
Sydney sat waiting for Agent Kendall to come in and begin the questioning. She was dreading having to talk to him again, but Vaughn had promised to stay there with her. So she could only hope things would be all right.
Vaughn and Kendall entered a moment or two later, followed closely by Jack. Sydney was surprised to see him, but glad. Any help to get through this difficult meeting was welcome. Jack looked his daughter in the eye as he entered, and he was rewarded with a small smile from her.
All three men took seats around the table, and Kendall wasted no time in beginning his questioning. Sydney glared at him with the very first words he spoke.
"I have what I think is only a partial list of the people who work for your mother. I want you to give me the names of everyone you know to be involved in her work. Things will be easier for you if you cooperate."
For a short while, Sydney refused to say anything. She didn't intend to give in easily to this overbearing, unpleasant man. Kendall repeated his question, and still, Sydney did not answer. Kendall turned to Jack now.
"I thought you said she was ready to talk. I didn't come here to play games and waste precious time, Jack."
"I know that." Jack had to struggle to keep the irritation out of his tone. Then, he turned to his daughter.
"Sydney, I know this is difficult for you. If you want to get out of here, you have to tell Agent Kendall what he wants to know. Once we're finished, you can come home with me like we talked about. I promise."
Sydney looked over at Vaughn, who nodded firmly. "Go ahead and talk. It will be all right. We'll both stay here with you until this is finished."
After another moment's hesitation, Sydney gave Kendall the names of everyone she knew in her mother's organization. Kendall just listened, nodding occasionally. He didn't bother taking notes, since everything was being recorded.
From there, they moved on to discussing any upcoming operations Sydney knew about. She answered him slowly, glaring at Kendall fiercely throughout the entire exchange. By the time this part of the questioning was finished, nearly two hours had passed. Sydney was growing tired and extremely impatient.
"When can I get out of here? I've had enough of this."
"You'll leave here when I say you can, Ms. Derevko." Kendall pronounced her last name slowly, deliberately. "Your loyalties have been misplaced all these years, you aren't going to get out of this after only two hours of questions. Your father and Agent Vaughn seem willing-- too willing-- to forgive you for everything. I'm not, Ms. Derevko. I'm in charge here, I'll ask you questions for as long as I want."
Now it was Jack's turn to glare at him. "Agent Kendall, I'd appreciate it if you would get on with the questions. The sooner you stop harassing my daughter, the happier I'll be." He paused for emphasis, staring the man down. "In case you've forgotten, Sydney's last name is Bristow, just like mine. I suggest you use it the next time you address her that way."
Kendall's expression as he replied was just as icy as the one Jack had sent his way. "Of course, I will." His voice dripped with contempt. Normally, he avoided getting on Jack Bristow's bad side. But he had tiptoed around the man long enough. The games were over, starting today.
Kendall then continued with the questions, wanting to get things over with.
"What I most want to know is your mother's exact location. It's very important that I get the chance to question her directly."
"I don't know where she is," Sydney answered, meeting his challenging expression with on of her own.
"You at least know where her base of operations is, don't you? Ms. Derevko, either you tell me, or it will be a very long time before you get out of here."
Sydney made no answer, causing both Vaughn and her father to look at her expectantly. She'd made it clear she wanted out of here, and answering the questions was the only way to get her wish. However, when they looked at her, both men realized her mind had wandered elsewhere. She didn't answer even when they took turns calling her name.
*******
Sydney had spent the last few weeks feeling very confused. Her mommy still insisted on calling her by that strange new name. Just this week the lessons had begun. Lessons from books that were in a language Sydney couldn't understand. All she knew was she wanted to go home, where she was allowed to speak English. Most of all, she wanted to see her Daddy.
Her Mommy was trying to give her one of the lessons right now. All Sydney could do was cry and say over and over, "Mommy, I don't like this! Can we stop now? What are we doing this for!?"
At last, her mother gave up trying to continue the lesson. She closed the book she held, placing it on the table. "We're doing this because I want you to learn the language everyone else here already knows. You need to learn, so you can talk to everybody. You want to be able to talk to me, don't you?"
Sydney was utterly confused. "Mommy, you're speaking English right now. I can still talk to you."
"Right now you can. But soon I won't speak any English to you at all. If you still want to be able to talk to me, you must learn this. I know you don't like it. But you're smart, Sasha. You'll learn very fast, I know you will."
Sydney began to cry harder. "I won't! I don't want to! Sasha isn't even my name. My name is Sydney!"
*******
Without realizing it, Sydney had taken her father's hand and was now holding onto it for dear life. Everyone in the room was surprised when she suddenly shouted in Russian. Then, she seemed to come out of her daze. Kendall understood her words, but not what had prompted them. Jack both understood them and realized that his daughter had remembered something. He was about to ask if they could take a break when Kendall literally brought his fists down on the table in front of Sydney. She flinched, and reached for Vaughn's hand as well.
"Ms. Derevko, I'm not going to allow you to play these kinds of games with me. Either you tell me what I want to know right now, or you will not be getting out of here! Now, I'll ask you one more time. Where is your mother's base of operations?"
Jack reluctantly released his daughter's hand and stood up, moving protectively in front of her. "Kendall, she needs a break! I want you to stop, just for a while. She's been remembering things... things that have been buried for a very long time. I know you don't care about that, or about her, but I do. I want you to stop," he repeated, challenging Kendall with his eyes.
Kendall stood, meeting Jack's challenge. "Jack, you can't really believe this girl is so innocent! She's worked for that woman since she was sixteen years old! She must know more. Things that can help us. I've waited long enough, I am finishing this line of questioning right now."
"Sit down, and listen," Jack growled back at him. "'This girl', as you've so eloquently called her, is my daughter. MINE. I've been separated from her for fourteen years. This is the first chance I've had to act like a father after all these years. I will not sit by and let you frighten my child, do you understand? If you bring your hands that close to her ever again, I'll take care of you myself. Under normal circumstances, she would be a threat to you herself, I don't doubt that. But look at her. With the state she's in right now, I can't believe she could hurt anyone. Now, she needs to get out of here and take a break. With or without your permission, we're going."
Kendall completely lost his temper and began to shout. Before long, Jack was shouting right back at him. This went on for just a moment or two, when Jack heard Vaughn's voice from behind him.
"Sydney needs to get out of here, now. She can't deal with all this arguing, sir."
Jack turned around, and saw that Sydney was practically covering her ears to keep out the sound of the fighting. In Russian, he apologized for shouting, and told her that they were going to go out in the hall for a while. He nearly had to help her up from the chair, she was so disoriented. Then, they were on their way out the door. Jack could feel Kendall's eyes on him, and was sure he was glaring at all three of them as they walked out.
Sydney's POV
I can remember not knowing what was happening and how much my mother had changed toward me. Forcing me to go by a new name, speak a new language, and change my entire lifestyle. As young as I was, I could only resist for a while before I started caving in, giving in to her requests, and forgetting everything I once knew, although I doubt I did that on my own. All those memories were coming back to me now and were leaving me emotionally and mentally confused. What was real? All I knew was that this pretending had to stop.
"No, no, Mother, you cannot make me keep doing this! I won't!" I shouted, without thinking about it, in Russian.
The next thing I really noticed was a fist violently slam down on the table directly in front of my face. I jumped a little and reached with my free hand to Michael, who swiftly and tightly grasped mine. Then I heard shouting. There was a battle raging all around me and I could not focus on it, nor could I block it out completely.
Without realizing it, I had slipped my hand out of Michael's grasp, and was covering my ears. Trying to escape the noise, but to no avail.
Then came Michael's quiet pleading and my father's apology in Russian and he told me we were leaving. I tried to stand but that made me dizzy and required help from dad. As the three of us walked past Kendall, the look he was giving my father scared me, but he was ignored and we went out into the hall.
I could hear a conversation being carried on around me, but I did not understand a single word that was spoken. I leaned against the wall and sunk down to the floor. Putting my hands over my ears and resting my head on my knees, I wished that everything would just go away.
Vaughn's POV
After Jack and Kendall's showdown, Sydney, Jack and I went into the hallway outside of Sydney's holding cell. I wasn't sure what Jack's intentions were until he pulled out his phone and made a swift call. He knew what he wanted and what he was going to do. All I heard was a one- sided conversation, but he made things quite clear.
"It's me. Jack…. Yes… Kendall was unable to get much. He was quite intimidating and forceful. She's in an awful state right now. I'm taking her out and questioning her myself… Yes, I do…. No, Ben, I'm taking her…. If she feels safe, I can get more intel, and she does not feel safe now…. No, I'm taking her. This is the best way… I'll let you know what I learn."
Devlin. One of the few people who could overrule any of Kendall's decisions. I guess the decision of what to do with Sydney was one that fits that category.
Jack was off the phone with Devlin and was staring at the floor, which made no sense to me until I saw Sydney. She was on the floor, sitting against the wall. She looked so lost and vulnerable. When she stared crying, my heart broke for her, but when she started talking, I felt even worse then before.
"Daddy? Daddy, where are you?"
Jack swiftly sank down to his knees in front of her in attempt to comfort her. "Sydney, I'm here. I'm right here. Shh, honey, everything is going to be okay, I'm here. Sydney, Daddy's here."
He couldn't get through to her. She just kept crying and calling for her Daddy to come. Jack was trying, but she just couldn't hear him. It was as if she was in another world. In a way she was. The world of her past was being revisited, and it was probably scarier then any make-believe world in a nightmare.
The look on Jack's face was one of a person who was missing something valuable, and I doubt that anyone has suffered the loss that Jack Bristow has. The man has gone through more than anyone should have to go through, worse then anything imagined by anyone. But he covers up his emotions so well, and I think that for once, I'm actually seeing the true Jack Bristow.
Jack's POV
She was calling for me, and I was right there. How many times as a child had she called for me, to no avail? My poor little girl was lost in so many ways. I had to help her find what she was searching for. I couldn't give her all the answers, but I would do right by this girl, if it was the last thing I ever did. I had failed her all these years, I had to do something right. I had to get her out of here first, and I think that I might just know the way.
"Daddy? Oh, Daddy, please come get me!" she cried
"Sydney, I'm here. Do you want to go for a ride?"
The crying stopped, and she looked up at me with a tear-stained face. "Really?" I nodded. "Okay. Do I need to go ask Mommy?"
She was still so confused. I decided to go along with it until I had a set plan.
"No, honey, I already have. She knows."
"Okay. Is Michael coming, too?"
I looked up at Vaughn with questioning eyes. The shock on his face was more then evident.
"I, uh… don't know honey. Let me go talk with Michael, okay?" I turned to Vaughn.
"Jack, do you think—"
"This is what we are going to do. I'm going to take her out of here. I have Devlin's permission, so Kendall can't stop us. Do you want to come with us? It's up to you."
"You need time alone with her. You can get her to talk."
"She trusts you, Agent Vaughn. She'll talk to you. You should come."
"You need to have some time alone with her. I'll meet you somewhere. Where are you planning on going?"
I wrote down the address and gave it to him. We planned on meeting in two hours.
"Come on, Sydney. Let's go."
"What about Michael? Is he coming?"
"Yes, Michael is going to meet us there later."
I helped her up off the floor and she took my hand. We walked out of the building together like that. It reminded me of the precious six-year-old I once knew.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Driving in the car on the way to our destination, Sydney had curled up in the front seat and fallen asleep. I was glad for that, because I needed to re-evaluate the situation and decide what my next move should be.
We were almost there, when she began to stir. She sat up and looked around, trying to recognize her surroundings and figure out where she was. Her confusion was evident, even more so when she began asking her questions.
"Where am I? Where are we going?"
"We're going for a ride."
She sighed with impatience, frustration clear on her face. "I can see that. Why are we going for a ride? Last thing I remember was answering questions for the son of Satan back in that prison cell. So you honestly believe that he's going to let you—let both of us—get away with this?" She was back, and just as stubborn as ever.
"We are going for a ride, because you needed to get out of that room. Agent Vaughn—"
"Michael? Where is he?"
"…and I decided this was best for you. You'll be staying at my house and will not be forced to speak to Kendall again, although there are still some questions I need to ask you. As for Kendall's approval, we don't have it, and we don't need it. Assistant Director Devlin has given me permission." Or as much permission as I need. "Agent Vaughn is planning on joining us later."
"Oh," she said as she turned and faced the window. We rode for quite a while afterward in silence.
Sydney's POV
I was out of that tiny room. Free, or at least in part. Everything had to start somewhere. I was getting to see more than just the tiny view from my barred windows. I was comfortable with the silence in the car, but the faint tinkling of music soon broke it.
"What is that?" I asked
"The carousel."
I looked over at the man sitting beside me. "The carousel?"
"Yes," he smiled. "Do you remember it? We used to come here quite often."
My dream from the other night came back. I now remembered where we were going that day, the day before I left with mom. He was taking me to the carousel.
"Yes, I do. It was my favorite thing to do with you. It was a special treat that I rarely got. I remember being so excited about going."
He pulled the car into the parking lot, and stopped. "Do you want to ride it?" he asked me.
"Really?" He nodded. "Sure, that would be fun. I want the black horse with the purple and pink jewels on the saddle."
"Do you remember that?"
I did, and I was equally as shocked as he was. All this "new" information seemed to be coming from nowhere. My forgotten past was beginning to resurface. It was welcome to come, I needed something I could believe in, but it also frightened me more than I could possibly express.
The line for the carousel wasn't all that long, so we got to the front quickly. Excitement was rising, and I found that I couldn't wait to do this. After so long I was finally back doing something that was an occasional routine for me, being with my father, and having a great time. It had been so long—too long—since that had happened.
The ride was short, but I didn't mind, because afterward I pulled Dad back into the line and we rode again. I think twice was enough for him though, so I didn't try for a third. This was the man I remember waiting for. Waiting for the sound of the door opening and the briefcase being set down on the floor so that I could run out of my room and jump on him for a hug. The man that gave me horsy rides through the house and took me out for good times and fun. I think that's what I missed at first when mom made me leave-- until I forgot all of it.
After the second ride was over, he started walking back to the car. I really had no other choice but to follow him, so that's what I did. "What are we doing?"
"I lost track of time. We're going to meet Vaughn."
"Oh," that was okay with me, but I was curious as to where we were going to meet him.
We got in the car, and drove away. After a few minutes, Dad pulled off onto a side street that was empty and stopped the car. There were no other cars around, and I had no idea what we were doing.
"I thought we were meeting Michael."
"We are, but I need to tell you something first. And give you this."
He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to me. When I had taken it, I realized it was a picture, and it looked awfully familiar. Then it clicked. It was the picture that I had drawn for him that day Mom and I left. I wondered for so long if he ever found it after I had left it on my bed for him. It was older and very wrinkled, but I would recognize it anywhere.
"Thank you," I told him as I stroked the picture and smiled up at him.
"You're welcome. I thought you might like to have it, and I had to let you know that I found it. I held onto that picture for so long, hoping that maybe... well it seems so foolish and ridiculous now, but I wished that you would come out of the picture and stay."
"You really wanted me that much?"
"Yes, I did."
I was on the verge of tears, so I remained silent and just stared at the picture, as he pulled back out onto the main road and continued in the direction we were traveling before.
I had no clue where I was, so I could not have known where we were going, but as soon as we pulled up to our destination, the smile on my face was huge. It was an ice cream stand, and ice cream was always welcome. Vaughn was already there waiting for us, cone in hand, so when the car was stopped, I got out, and waited for my dad to come around the car to me. When he did, he just smiled and said he would be right back.
"Hey," he said to me. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Why? Is something wrong?"
"No, it's just you scared me before your dad took you out of there. I'm glad you're okay."
I smiled. "What kind did you get?"
"My favorite kind, of course."
"Oh, and just what might that be?" I hated answers that avoided the question like that.
He smiled and shook his head. "You are nosy aren't you? It's pumpkin. The best kind that they have here."
"Pumpkin… ice cream?"
"Yeah. It's great. You should have some."
"No, I probably wouldn't like it. My favorite kind is…"
I didn't finish my sentence, because Dad came back with two cones. He handed one to me.
"Here's yours. It's chocolate chip cookie dough."
"That's… that's my favorite."
"I know. I remembered that. I never could understand how you could like it. I've always liked just plain chocolate myself," he said as he gestured to his cone.
I was happy that I wasn't the only one remembering things about each other, things from a better time. If only everything else had been so pleasant.
Jack's POV
Sydney seems genuinely pleased with the afternoon. A lot of it probably had to do with the fact that she was out of that small room. She did not seem to remember the episode earlier, and I was glad for that. We had a nice time together, and the ice cream was the perfect way to end it.
I would never tell her everything about her that I have remembered after all these years, at least not now anyway, but I needed to say something.
"Sydney, I—"
The look on her face made me stop. She had that far away look again, and right away, I began to worry. I did not want her to go through her memories again. It was too painful for her, and I couldn't stand to see her hurt. However, no matter how much Vaughn and I tried, we could not get her to come out of it. She wasn't really there with me, she was lost in the past. I wished I could be with her, to protect her from everything.
