by Ana Stone
Adrian glanced at his wristwatch. "A little after two in the morning."
"How long have I been asleep?"
"Almost seventeen hours."
Sydney leaned back against the pillows and looked at Adrian. "Have you been here all that time?"
"Where else would I be?"
She didn’t speak and for a few minutes the only sound in the room was the chirping of insects that drifted in on the breeze from the opened window. "Adrian, I don't think I…" she hesitated, unsure how to put into words what she wanted to say. "…something happened – something− something horrible. I don't know if I'm whole anymore. I feel…"
"How do you feel?" he prompted her.
"Tampered with," she said flatly. "I can't trust myself. Not now."
"Then trust me." He moved closer and cupped her face in his hands. "I’ll take care of you and I promise no harm will come to you. I love you, Sydney."
She nodded, trying to stem the tears that sprang to her eyes. Adrian kissed them away then moved his lips to hers for a soft kiss. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. "I want to love you."
Sydney wasn’t sure she was ready for that but she did not know how to say no. He was her deliverer. How could she refuse him? She nodded and he stood o undress. Sydney watched him, barely noting his physical beauty. A question consumed her mind. Why do I think of him as my deliverer? That was an extremely odd way to feel. What prompted her mind to use that word? What had he delivered her from?
She had no time to ponder the question as he pulled back the sheet and lay down to take her in his arms. She pushed the questions back as their lips met and let the sensations of his hands on her body release her for a brief time from the uncertainty and confusion.
Blake tossed the empty beer can in the general direction of the trash can. It bounced off the rim of the container and landed on the floor, rolling a couple of inches before it came to a stop. Blake paid no attention as he fished the last cigarette from the pack and lit it.
"This is stranger than strange," Weasel commented, shifting positions in his chair and setting his barely touched beer on the end table. "Tell me again what she−"
"I've told you a dozen times!" Blake snapped. "And no matter how many times I tell it, it's going to end up the same. She acted like I was some kind of ogre and Zayne was her goddamn white knight!"
Weasel frowned but said nothing for a few moments. "Something happened to her, man. Something severe. Unless she's playing some kind of game and she couldn't let you know. You did say Zayne showed up just minutes after you did, right?"
Blake nodded and Weasel sprang to his feet to pace back and forth. "So, what if Syd knew that he was there and she couldn't let on to you? Maybe this is part of her plan to sucker Zayne!"
"If that's the case then she should have been an actress. If you'd seen her . . . she was terrified. It was−spooky."
"But we can't rule out the possibility!"
"Then why wouldn't she take my calls?"
"Zayne's people probably didn't tell her you called."
Blake shook his head and got up to get another beer. He opened it and walked back into the den to set it down, untouched on the table. "I've got a real bad feeling about this," he said as he took his seat. "Right here." He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's like alarms going off. Something's very wrong and I don't know what the hell to do about it."
"You go to Alabama and get the goods on Zayne so we can put him away," Weasel said determinedly.
"And what about Syd? Do I just abandon her?"
"We've got around the clock surveillance on the house," Weasel reminded him. "She's okay. Besides, I think it's time her father found out she's back. Maybe I'll take a run over to Zayne's tomorrow with Jack and pay a visit on them. Then I can talk to Syd and find out what's going on. In the meantime, you've got about two hours until your flight leaves. Maybe you should clean up and we'll go grab some breakfast. A couple of cups of coffee might do you some good."
Blake rubbed his eyes tiredly. "You're probably right." He got up and went into the bathroom. As he turned on the light he saw his reflection in the mirror. Superimposed on the reflection was a mental image of the way Sydney had looked at him.
Something's very very wrong, he told himself. He had seen that look before. In textbooks - on the faces of people who have witnessed unspeakable horror. His chest tightened and he closed his eyes, trying to drive the image from his mind. It tore his heart out to know that seeing him had caused her to look that way. He had to find a way to make things right again. And the only way he knew to do that was to put Adrian Zayne away for the rest of time.
When he opened his eyes he looked at himself in the mirror. This was one case he was going to win. He had to.
Tuesday, May 2
Sydney jumped as the downstairs maid touched her lightly on the shoulder from behind. "Sorry, Miss," the woman apologized. "You have visitors. Shall I show them out here to the terrace or would you prefer to receive them inside?"
"Who?" Sydney asked anxiously. She was afraid it might be Blake and she didn’t want to see him.
"Your father, Miss and a Mr. Armand."
"My father?" Sydney stood and looked into the opened French doors. "Is Adrian still in his study?"
"Yes, miss."
"All right. Why don't you show my father and Mr. Armand out here. And will you please ask Adrian if he can join us?"
The maid nodded and returned inside. Sydney took her seat and tried to stem the rising panic she felt inside. She didn’t know why she should be anxious about seeing her father or GW, but the thought of it made her palms clammy and her heart beat accelerate. Only when she was with Adrian did she feel safe.
As soon as Jack Forrest stepped outside and saw Sydney he broke into a run. "Sydney!" he grabbed her up in a hug. "Oh, god, honey! I thought I'd lost you! Where were you? Why did you disappear like that?"
Sydney pulled back from the embrace. "Why don't we all sit down and I'll try to explain."
Jack released her and moved to the chair beside her. GW stepped forward and extended his hand. "Miss Forrest, please forgive me intruding on you this way, but your father requested that I accompany him."
Sydney realized that GW was still in his role as Mr. Armand. His words belied none of the concern she saw in the depths of his dark eyes. "It's quite all right, Mr. Armand." She replied, giving his hand a squeeze, thinking that at least she did not feel afraid being around GW. He still seemed the same as always. " I'm pleased to see you again. Won't you have a seat?"
GW sat down and Sydney dismissed the maid. "Clarise, would you mind bringing my guests some iced tea?" As soon as the maid left Jack looked at Sydney. "I want to know what happened to you? Zayne claims that you were supposed to meet him on his yacht and you never showed up and he seems to think that Blake did something to you. He said something about you and Blake going to Virginia and−"
"Dad, please!" Sydney couldn’t take the barrage. "Just slow down, okay? First of all, I was supposed to go away with Adrian for the weekend. But I… "
She stopped, unable to go on. Even remembering what had happened was enough to freeze her with fear. She began to shake violently and Jack reached out for her. "Sydney, honey, what's wrong? Did someone hurt you? Please, I want to help you. Just tell me what−"
"Well, this is a pleasant surprise." Adrian interrupted as he stepped outside onto the terrace. "I didn't know you were expecting company, darling."
Sydney jumped up and met him as he walked to the table. She wrapped one arm around him and pressed against his side. He draped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "My father was worried," she said softly. "He wants to know what happened."
Adrian led her to the table and seated her. He stood behind her, placing his his hands on her shoulders. "I share your concern, Senator. You cannot imagine my relief when I was informed that Sydney had been found."
"You received word?" Jack asked. "From whom, if I may ask?"
Jack looked at Sydney. "Can you tell me where you were, honey?"
"No." She shook her head, reaching up to touch Adrian's hand on her shoulder.
"But−" Jack stammered and looked up at Adrian. "Then perhaps you can tell me."
"I have no idea, sir. Sydney has been reluctant to speak of where she was."
"This is crazy!" Jack exploded and jumped to his feet. "You have us scared out of our minds, thinking that something dreadful's happening to you then you just show up out of the blue and refuse to even tell us where you were? Do you have any inkling of the hell you put us− "
"I don't know where I was!" Sydney shouted. She felt as if walls were closing in around her all at once, suffocating her. "Please." Her voice fell to almost a whisper. "Please don't ask me anymore. I can't tell...I can't talk…"
Jack dropped down to one knee beside her and took her hand in his. "I'm sorry, it's just that I was so worried. We didn't know if you were alive or dead or if something horrible had happened or −"
"Yes," she whispered.
"Yes?"
"Something horrible happened." Pent-up emotions suddenly exploded to the surface and she gasped at the gripping pain that seemed to consume her. "They… they hurt−" she tried to talk through the flood of tears and sobs that wracked her. "they−they did things…I−I… wanted…I wanted to…die."
A scream tore from her throat and she bolted to her feet, throwing herself in Adrian's arms and burying her face in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, looking over her head at Jack who was standing up with a look of confusion and anger stamped on his face.
"I think it might be best if Sydney rested now," Adrian said quietly. "She has obviously been through some kind of terrible trauma. Perhaps you could postpone your visit until she is feeling stronger."
"No," Jack refused. "I think it would be best if you gave me some time alone with my daughter."
"I do not think that is wise."
"And I really don't care!" Jack snapped and reached out to touch Sydney on the back. "Syd, honey?"
She turned to look at him, wiping her eyes with her fingers. "Honey, I just want to talk, all right?"
Sydney looked over at GW for a moment. He was the one she really wanted to talk to. But she could not say that in front of Adrian or her father. For a moment she did not speak then she looked at Adrian. "I'm all right now. I'm sorry I fell apart like that, but I'm fine now. And I want to talk with my father. If you don't mind."
"Of course," he agreed. "I have some things to attend to. If you need me ring me in my study."
"Thank you." She tilted her face up for his kiss.
Sydney watched Adrian leave then turned and took a seat, pulling her chair up close to the table. "Why don't you sit beside Mr. Armand?" she suggested to her father. If he was sitting beside GW then she could talk to GW without it appearing as if she were directing the conversation at him.
Surprise registered in her mind as she realized she was still trying to protect GW's cover. That made confusion rise. Protecting GW’s cover was also protecting Blake. Why would I protect Blake? He's the enemy. I should be interested in exposing him instead of covering for him. God, what’s wrong with me?
"Sydney?" Jack reached across the table for her hand.
She drew her hands back out of his reach and looked at GW. "I went with Blake to Virginia for the night. On the way, a van load of men attacked us. Blake told me to run but I hid and I heard him talking to the men. They were saying something about him living up to his end of the bargain. After it was all over I asked him about it and he said he didn't know what the men were talking about. He brought me home Friday morning. He knew I was planning on going away with Adrian for the weekend and he wasn't happy about it but I was going anyway."
She paused to collect her thoughts. "I was in the apartment and the doorbell rang. I answered it and a man was there, saying he was Adrian's driver and was going to take me to the yacht, that Adrian would meet me there. When I got in the car there was another man. I didn't get a good look at him. He stabbed me in the neck with a hypo and the next thing I knew I…"
Sydney didn’t know if she could tell the rest of it. She looked into GW's eyes and saw how concerned and anxious he was. "Please, Syd," he whispered. "Let me help."
She nodded and looked down at the table as she began to speak. "I woke in a room that was white. Everything was white concrete. There was no furniture−nothing. I −I don't remember everything.
“Light - bright, blinding light . . . heat . . . suffocating heat then cold, water raining down on me. Sometimes it was black. No light at all. I didn't know how long I had been there. They wouldn't let me sleep then they would gas me and knock me out and wake me up - over and over. I lost track of time. It seemed to . . . it seemed to stop. Time. Time stopped."
"Then…" She took a deep breath to steel herself. "Then the pain started. They−they strapped us down to these tables and used− used electric things…they…"
She wrapped her arms around herself as she began to shake. "I'm sorry… I can't. I just can't."
GW looked at Jack then back at Sydney. "How did you get away?"
"I don't know," she replied tiredly. "I was. He was…I don't know. One moment there was nothing but pain and the next I was waking up, dressed in the clothes I had left home in Friday, sitting on a path at the National Arboretum."
"Why didn't you call me?" Jack asked. "Or GW?"
"Or Blake?" GW added softly.
Sydney jerked her head up to pin him with a cold stare. "He is the enemy." She heard her own voice say the words in a cold, emotionless monotone, unable to stop herself.
GW's eyes grew round and he leaned back in his seat, staring at her in shock. She didn’t blink or move a muscle. All that was in her mind at that moment was that Blake was the enemy. He was the one to be afraid of. He wanted her dead because she knew too much and only Adrian could save her.
"Sydney?" Jack touched her hand on the table. "Honey? What is it? Why is Blake the enemy?"
"He wants to kill me," she said in the same emotionless tone, like she was speaking by rote.
"Wants to kills you?" Weasel blurted. "That's crazy! He loves you! He'd never do anything to−"
"He is involved with the people who are responsible for the bombing." She interrupted in the same flat monotone.
Weasel's eyes narrowed as he regarded her. For several long seconds no one spoke. Then Weasel leaned forward slightly meeting Sydney's eyes and holding the gaze. "What makes you think that, Syd? I was under the impression that Tyler told you himself it was−well, you know, someone else."
"I… " She paused, trying to think clearly. She could remember Tyler being at her apartment and telling her to get away from Adrian. He so much as told her that Adrian was the man responsible. But somewhere along the way she had gotten other information; information that led her to think it was Blake that was behind everything. She couldn’t remember where she had gotten the information or who had told her. "I must have−I guess I made a mistake."
"A mistake?" her father asked. "Are you telling me that we've been going along with this scheme to try and frame Adrian Zayne for something he didn't do?"
"Adrian has not done anything." Her voice reverted to a monotone.
Jack and Weasel looked at one another for a moment then Weasel turned to Sydney. "Syd, why don't you let us take you to the hospital? It might be a good idea to get someone to look you over after−ell, you know, after what you've been through. Maybe they can help you get things straight in your head. You're probably just confused because of . . . "
"I am not confused!" She jumped up from her seat. "I know what I know and that's all there is to it! Why can't you just accept that we all made a mistake and trusted the wrong person? He's been fooling all of us. He made you think he was your friend and he . . . he made me think he loved m
e but all along he was just using us. And now that I know the truth he wants to eliminate me like some bug that flew into his car."
"That's not true," Weasel said calmly. "Sydney, you've been through a traumatic experience and it's enough to confuse you. Let us take you to−"
"I think you should leave now," she interrupted angrily. "I'll have someone show you out. Excuse me, I need to find Adrian."
"Sydney!" Jack started after her as she dashed inside the house. Weasel took his arm and stopped him. "Let her go. We're not getting anywhere this way. We'll have to come up with something to get her away from him."
"Such as?"
Weasel shook his head. "Not here. Come on, let's go."
Once inside the privacy of the car, Weasel looked at Jack. "Did you notice anything strange about her?"
Jack looked at him with an incredulous expression on his face. "Anything strange? Everything was strange! She doesn't even seem like my daughter anymore. God, GW, what was done to her?"
"Aside from torture, I think she's been programmed," Weasel replied. "You could tell from the way she'd go into some sort of trace-like state when she was asked certain things. She'd talk like she was some kind of automaton, repeating what she'd been rehearsed to say. I think we need to get her into a hospital and we need to do it fast. Also, we have to find Tyler and get him to tell us exactly what he told Sydney."
"Couldn't we just have her committed for psychiatric observation? I am her father, I could sign the papers?"
"I don't know," Weasel said as he started the car. "That's something we've got to find out."
"Then let's go!" Jack looked back at the house as they started to pull away. "I don't want to leave her there a moment longer than necessary."
Inside the house, Sydney was standing in front of the window in the living room, watching the car move down the driveway when Adrian walked in. "Did you have a nice visit with your father?"
She shook her head without responding. He walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. She didn’t tense at his touch as she once had. That pleased him. He had decided that Sydney was going to be a permanent fixture in his home and having her compliant made things much more uncomplicated.
