Rogue Nation: Meet the IMF

Chapter 12: Loyalties

Director Hunley frowned as he flipped through the map, and the two drawings, Ethan had left behind in Cuba, before flipping to the file MI6 Chief Atlee had sent him on Ilsa Faust. He frowned as he stared down at the woman, her file stamped to mark her as 'Disavowed'. Why had Hunt been chasing this woman? That was what he couldn't understand.

He sighed, leaning back in his seat as he stared out the window of his private jet. He paused when his secretary stopped beside him, holding out his phone as he informed Hunley: "William Brandt, sir. He says it's urgent."

Hunley took the phone quickly, before taking a breath and answering calmly: "I had a feeling you'd come to your senses, Brandt."

London

"Look, I'm only calling you because I've no other choice." Brandt replied darkly as he glanced around to make sure no-one was watching him as he stood in a London phone booth. "I'm trying to prevent a catastrophe."

"I can understand that." Hunley replied swiftly. "Where are you?"

Brandt took a deep breath before answering shortly: "London."

CIA private jet

Hunley quickly covered the phone's receiver, ordering his secretary quietly: "Reroute us to London, now." He lifted the phone back to his mouth as he asked, checking his watch to calculate how much time he had: "Where in London?"

"I'll tell you when you land," Brandt replied flatly, "not before."

Hunley's jaw locked and he hissed: "I'm not interested in playing games, Brandt."

"And I'm not interested in seeing my friends get killed either." Brandt replied a little sharply. "So if I'm going to betray them, we're going to do this in my terms and my terms only. Do you understand?"

"Are you sure you want to threaten me when Miss Taylor's life hangs in the balance?" Hunley asked in a deadly voice, and Brandt's voice was harsh as he replied: "You harm her, Hunley, and not even Ethan will be able to save you from me."

Hunley paused, surprised by the blatant claim Brandt was placing on the civilian woman after the months he'd spent trying to prove a professional disinterest. Not that it had been all that convincing but...

"Keep your phone on," Brandt ordered as he read the agreement in the CIA director's silence, "instruction will follow."

**********

London

"Should've been gone by now." Luther commented as Brandt walked back into the warehouse, and the man muttered distractedly: "Yeah."

Luther glanced at Brandt, noting the tired, almost resigned air about the man, and he asked in concern: "You okay?"

Brandt paused as he grabbed his kit bag, glancing back over at Luther as he pointed out: "Yeah. We're supposed to take down the Prime Minister of Great Britain tonight. So..."

He sighed, turning and making to go, when Ethan called: "Brandt."

Brandt looked over, and Ethan met his eyes as he said sadly, but determinedly: "I cant' see another way."

Brandt's face scrunched as he admitted: "Neither can I."

He paused, before adding seriously: "But we do what we have to do for our friends, right?"

Ethan nodded, and as Brandt left, Luther muttered: "Yeah. 'Friends'."

"Luther." Ethan chided.