Sandoval sat at home staring at his computer screen, lost in thought. Most of the lights other than those in his office were off and he stared out into the shadows that filled the room. Tiredly he scrubbed his eyes with his hands and moved to get a drink, he needed a distraction. This was the part of this job that he hated, compiling lists for Zo'or, lists of humans whose only crime was not to be taken in by the Taelons, lists of the soon to be missing, coerced, discredited, abandoned and, if they were really unlucky, lists of the soon to be dead.
God, he was tired of this! If only he could get some help. He was tired of doing this alone, tired of being considered the bad guy. He knew his duty, after all it had been drummed into him at an early age, setting him apart from his colleagues and making him the perfect choice for this assignment. Of course if he'd known the price for victory would be DeeDee he'd have told his superiors to go take a flying leap, but it was too late now.
Turning away from the memories that always left him upset he got back to the business at hand. Kincaid.
For a while there he'd thought he would be the one, the one that could be trusted, the one he could ask to join his efforts. He was having doubts again though. Liam had saved the Mothership from that Jaridian replicant but Sandoval had talked to him at the end trying to sound out his feelings. When Liam had asked him, "...and Humanity?"
He'd felt hope, allowing himself the risk of saying that he himself was keeping an open mind.
Then Liam had done and said things to cause him doubts again. He'd been visibly distressed about being separated from Da'an when the Taelon had gone into seclusion to perform the Karpaaj, in the end saving him from that rogue Taelon the Companions had wanted caught.
Then there was the Forge incident. Liam had refused to leave Da'an's side willingly following him into almost certain death in order to fulfil his obligations as a Protector.
Sandoval had no doubt that Liam and Zo'or hated each other, but Liam was a contradiction. After watching him for the last several months he was convinced Liam's loyalties were with humanity, but his devotion to Da'an's safety was apparent to anyone. That was the problem. His superiors were unwilling to take the chance while the Major's loyalties still seemed ambiguous, that left him sitting here thinking 'If only I could be sure.'
Sandoval went back to his computer screen and deleted Kincaid's name from his list of Resistance sympathisers. After recent events he had the excuse to keep his name of, Zo'or might have his suspicions but for now all the Synod could see was Liam's devotion to Da'an, that gave him all the excuse he needed to keep Liam from what was bound to be a witch hunt.
In the meantime he'd watch the other man, if only he could be sure. If only, mused Sandoval, the two words that for now ruled his life.