A/N: I do not own Mission Impossible or any of the characters.
This story is a telling of the events from Rogue Nation and Fallout from the perspective of Ilsa Faust.
This is my first story in a long time, so please do provide feedback. But be gentle at the same time.
Warning: Major spoilers for the above-mentioned Mission Impossible movies.
Chapter 1
My name is Ilsa Faust. Former agent of MI6. Former? Guess we'll wait and see, if they keep their word.
Four years ago, I was tasked to go undercover and infiltrate a group called the Syndicate. Earn the trust of their leader, Solomon Lane, former British Intelligence agent. Find everything there is to know about them and, ultimately, identify all members of the organization. Not an easy job, but I didn't expect everything to be offered on a silver platter, once inside the Syndicate.
A lot of tests of trust followed. Naturally. And then, two years ago … he came along.
We met officially in an underground chamber in London. He was chained up to a pole. Shirtless. I was supposed to extract information from him. Through the usual interrogation methods: needles. I knew what he was after, which was the same thing I was after. I wanted to help him. When I turned around to face him, our eyes connected. He didn't know who I was. I did. For a few moments, I was amused. Because, to be honest … I wasn't exactly expecting him to be without a shirt at our first meeting.
I had to help him escape once Vinter crashed the party with his less-than-delicate tools. It put me in hot water with Lane, but I felt I had made the right call. Ethan Hunt wanted the same thing as I did. I helped him because I felt I might need his help in the future. I haven't seen him for the next six months.
Our next meeting was in Vienna, at the Opera. No, definitely not a date. Lane had sent me to complete another test. Assassinating the Chancellor of Austria. My plan was to just wing him and put him in the hospital. Ethan Hunt did it before me. Things went chaotic, as the escape plan I had got foiled. Ever so gallant though, the man arrived to provide me with an alternate route. I felt like a damsel in distress. Especially when hanging onto him, as he was pondering whether to go ahead with his plan down the rope or not. I gave him an encouraging look and small smile … and down we went.
Unfortunately, my plan with the Chancellor hit a speed bump. In the form of a bomb, placed in the Chancellor's car. Lane had an insurance. Planted in the Chancellor's car, which blew up just as it passed us on the street. A minute later, I found myself interrogated in the back of a car by Ethan Hunt. I made sure to leave him a way to find me before jumping out of the car, while pursued by Lane's men. Again, he wasn't happy with my failure. But … he had another job for me. Another test.
Casablanca.
It seemed like an impossible mission though. Especially the part about holding my breath for three minutes. Which I had serious problems with. At the end of my last attempt, I surfaced and … saw that I had company. Him and his co-worker, Benji Dunn, which I met in Vienna. I could feel Dunn's eyes going over me and my black bikini for a moment or two. Ethan was all professional though and just casually handed me a towel. As if everything was completely normal. I hadn't expected anything less from him really.
I knew I had a serious problem. Ethan and his colleague needed that ledger as badly as I did. I was conflicted. I knew I couldn't just ask them to let me have the information. At some point, I would have to double-cross them. Which wasn't really something I wanted to do. But I had to. That ledger was my ticket out of the Syndicate. I wanted out. I just didn't think they would see it my way. So I made my own plans, while still being conflicted.
The operation at the power plant was going off without a hitch. Until it didn't. I knew it might be a one-way trip for me, as I had trouble staying underwater for such a long time. But I jumped anyway. Did I do it for myself or for Ethan? Hmm … No, I did it for him. Because I could've just left him there to drown, get the ledger from his colleague and be on my way to London. Ethan Hunt had become important to me. Not just professionally … but on some personal level too.
I saved his life. For a second time. Immediately, the conflict reappeared. I knew what I had to do next. I just felt horrible inside, as I knocked Benji Dunn unconscious and took off with the ledger. Lane's men were expecting me outside, just as I tried to make my own escape. On to the high-speed chase on two wheels. And four. Ethan was there too … I am not sure if he was trying to help me and get me. Because I distinctly saw him take out one of my pursuers and lead others away from me. Then he went on two wheels himself, down the motorway and getting rid of the remaining pursuers.
Again … a conflicting moment. It didn't feel right, but I had to. I pulled over then stepped in the middle of the road and gambled. If he cared for me, he would hit the brakes. Which would make him spin off. It was an emotional trick and I used it against him. He seemed just shaken up after the spin. I tried to apologize silently as my eyes connected to his for a brief moment.
Yes, I firmly believed I was off his Christmas list at that point, as I rode off towards the airport. Heading back to London. Towards freedom.