Black Arrow- crossover Mission Impossible and The Avengers.
Their second mission together as a team was going smoothly until one black arrow plows a path of death through everything they have believed .They find themselves facing a wall of lies and realizing it may already be too late to undo the damage.
prologue- Location Empire Hotel, New York City
The steady pitter patter of Benji's fingers on the keyboard was the only sound in the room. As he worked to get the information Ethan had requested he was all too aware of the presence of his team leader just behind his shoulder. Ethan's own fingers rested on the top of the chair where he sat. Their nervous twitching were a testimony to how their team leader felt, trying to show no outward sign of tension yet anxious and worried.
Benji had hacked into many different systems to retrieve information and had only felt a glimmer of nerves. Computers were his specialty and no system would ever get the better of him. Well at least he hoped so because this one was proving a challenge.
Minutes passed again as he kept up his assault on the system. Finally his efforts began to reap results as the file they had been searching for appeared on the screen.
Ethan leaned closer as he read over his shoulder. "This is nothing new Benji, all of this is I know already", his team leader grumbled as he read quickly through the information.
"There has to be something more, otherwise why restrict our access to the files", Ethan added. "Everyone's access is restricted not just ours, it is more or less common practice. Maybe there is nothing to find Ethan", Jane suggested.
Shaking his head rapidly Ethan responded, "you don't believe that Jane, you are just hoping we may have read all that has happened the wrong way." Jane had to agree with Ethans assessment. All of them had hoped that somehow it was them that had misjudged things. But deep down they knew their judgment was not in error, someone was hiding something and they had to find that information.
As if reading her thoughts Ethan ordered, "there has to be something Benji, dig deeper".
Benji swallowed audibly , he had thought he knew everything about hiding information but obviously did not. This system must be one of the best in the world. They needed this information though and that meant a little risk taking.
He could bypass some of the security features but there would be a consequence to his actions. "Ethan I warn you that doing this will probably leave a trail that will lead right back to us". Benji felt his sweat run down his back at that thought.
Ethan absorbed this for a moment his face expressionless, "after all that we have asked I think they are already aware that we are searching for answers." We have gone this far, why not go further", he responded firmly.
Why not indeed, it was afterall a test of exactly how good he was. Plus face it if he could do this then there was a possibility that someone else could as well. Then they would find their own system compromised. Their own system, for a moment Benji paused aware of the enormity of what he was doing. He had loyally served the IMF for many years and was now against orders hacking into their system.
"If you can't do this Benji move aside and let me try", Ethan seemed to detect his nerves. "I can do it, it is just that I never thought I'd use my skills against IMF", Benji responded.
"We are not against them Benji, we still work for them", Jane reassured him as her hand lightly pressed his shoulder.
"Yes we do", Ethan said it firmly and with a confidence Benji did not think he should have. They were after all disobeying an order and there had to be some consequence to their actions . But Benji was too busy to respond to Ethan as the IMF system was employing countermeasures against the tactics he was using. He almost smiled though because he knew he was winning.
Finally he was granted access to a large file. As the information scrolled across the screen he heard Ethan swear.
Checking on what they had found Benji confirmed, "Ninety nine point five percent of it is like this Ethan. It's either some elaborate encryption that I can't break or just pages of nonsense. All we can get is this…one line of text appeared.
They all stared at the words. "Well you were right Ethan someone knew something and they nearly compromised everything because they did not make it common knowledge", Jane snapped .She hated the feeling of vulnerability this whole mess had created within her. If she could not feel confident in her own employers ability to protect its agents then her career was over.
"It is probably fall out from ghost protocol", Ethan told her calmly. He sounded like this was just all common place to him which was not reassuring. "The old secretary was not in a position to fill anyone in on any knowledge he possessed ". Ethan shut his eyes for a moment remembering the moment in the car when one bullet had ended the secretary's life. "Surely this information was of such vital importance that more than one person should have known", Benji countered.
"Unfortunately debating about what should have happened is not going to reverse the damage that has been done", Ethan told them. His eyes drifted toward the locked door at the far end of the room.
"We are not the ones who are going to pay the price", Jane's eyes followed Ethan's
Benji walked to the door and tested it firmly. "Don't bother Benji, he can't get out, I made sure of that", Ethan said it with deep pain. What he'd had to do just minutes ago was one of the hardest things he done during his long career with IMF.
He remembered his fear as he trained his gun firmly on the man in front of him. His eyes scanned him from head to toe alert for even the slightest twitch. "I am not going to do anything to you Ethan", the others voice had been mild ,sad. His hands were up away from his body.
Ethan swallowed still watching. He was acutely aware of how dangerous this man was. The head slightly turned and blue eyes locked with Ethan's. They no longer looked mild but held a definite menace. "I don't want to have to shoot you, but I will", Ethan swore as he kept his gun steady upon the other man. His captive backed away slowly his hands still up, his eyes never leaving Ethan's.
"Lie down on the bed and then handcuff yourself to headboard with the IMF cuffs", Ethan instructed.
The other man lay down on the bed and picked up the IMF cuffs from on top of the duvet. His eyes returned to Ethan's own silently pleading.
Ethan ignored the look just instructing ,"right hand first". His eyes never leaving Ethan the other man followed his instruction. "Please", the plea became vocal as the other man hesitated, cuffs dangling loose in his hands. Ethan had to turn off any rush of sympathy, this man could not be underestimated. "Do it", he ordered harshly. Snap, the cuffs were secured and Ethan moved forward then, his gun still trained steadily on the man before him.
They were inches apart now and any shot would be immediately lethal. Ethan felt his heart hammer as he reached for the left hand of his prisoner. He jumped when the other man's hand shot forth to wrap around his wrist. It was the hand without the gun though, "please Ethan", came another plea. Ethan nearly gave in at that moment. He knew that the grab could have easily been at his gun hand. The other man would have succeeded in getting the gun away from him. Breathing out audibly he touched the man's hand, "I have no choice", he told him firmly , "cuff your other hand". Still the other man held off eyes locked on Ethan's. Even with only his left hand free he was still lethal. Tired of feeling like he was waiting for some unstable bomb to go off Ethan shouted, "For goodness sake stop mucking about". He waved his gun in the mans face and cocked the trigger with an audible click.
It had the required effect .With a loud snap the second cuff went on and his prisoner was now secured to the bed with both hands cuffed above his head to the firm steel of the headboard.
Lowering his gun Ethan crossed the room to one of the small chests of drawers by the bed. He could feel the eyes upon him as he opened the drawer.
Drawing out the small case, he opened it to reveal a syringe and ampoule. "Come on that is really not necessary. These cuffs are break proof", the other man protested as he realized Ethans intention. "As I said I have no choice and I cannot afford to take chances. This ensures you won't be going anywhere", Ethan knew his tone was harsh now. But it was a harshness that was forced, he hated every moment of what he was doing. "What will they do with me", those words were not spoken until Ethan sat on the bed and was once again looking his prisoner in the eye.
"Honestly I don't know", Ethan replied only half heartedly. Possible scenarios had already crossed his mind but he did not want to bring them up. "You can guess though, I 'll either be locked away somewhere I'll never see the light of day or…, his voice broke off . Ethan found himself touching the hand again. His captive had tears in his eyes now and they were in no way faked or forced, "or they will permanently dispose of me". The other man's gaze bore through him like burning lava. "You know that Ethan, so don't try to sugar coat things". Ethans mouth had gone dry and he found the emotions he had tried so hard to suppress welling up within him. Tears were coming into his eyes no matter how hard he tries to make them stay away. "I will try to make sure that does not happen", he said it shakily but with conviction. "It's not your call Ethan but I suppose it is all I can expect. For what it's worth I am sorry", his captive told him.
Ethan knew it was the truth. The other man closed his eyes then as he waited for the inevitable injection. After shooting the drug into the other mans arm Ethans hand rested lightly on the mans own. He felt the muscles relax and saw the head slump to one side. A quick look under the eye lids confirmed he was unconscious.
Getting up Ethan took one last long look before turning and walking out of the room.
He activated the doors lock then slumped backwards against the door facing out into the room.
"We now have to finish this mission", he informed the others. " I am going up to the roof. The two of you stay here and keep your eyes on that computer screen."
"You will need back up on the roof Ethan", Benji protested. "Yes I do but neither of you are in any condition to be effective up there. For this I am on my own", Ethan told them.
He moved to the door of the room with Jane and Benji following him. They opened the door and the three of them stepped out into the empty hallway. "At least we don't have to worry about the other occupants", Ethan told them. "No", Benji acknowledged looking over at the rows of shut doors, "they are all sleeping like babies thanks to that IMF technology".
As Ethan made a move to step away from his colleagues he found two hands stopping him from moving, one Janes and the others Benji's.
"Look if all goes well it should be simple. Just cross the roof and retrieve the data from where it is hidden", Ethan reassured them. "Yeah but we know why that roof is the perfect place to hide something. It is exposed and someone can take you out before you even take one step," Benji countered. His hand still rested upon Ethan's like some lifeline. He thought that if he let go he was going to lose his team mate and friend forever. Jane though was more practical her hand was already by her side. "He knows that Benji, just let him get on with it", she told Benji. She was concerned as well but knew that Ethan would still go forward with the mission even though it and they were now compromised. At this moment there was no other choice. Her hand restly lightly upon Benji's . Finally he lifted his hand from Ethan's arm.
"Just be careful", Benji told Ethan.
Ethan stood still in the hotel corridor for one more second and took one last look at his two team mates. He gave them a smile and a thumbs up gesture. Then he was gone slipping away down the corridor. Ethan did not slow his speed until he hit the fire door. In one swift motion it was open and his legs were pumping fast as he ran up the stairwell. His breath hissed between his teeth as the floors sped by.
Finally Ethan slowed his pace as he reached the top of the stairwell. Before him was the last fire door that led out on top of the hotels flat rooftop. Once he stepped out onto that roof he would be visible to anybody located on the roof of the adajent building. He shut his mind from that possibility and told his team mates "I am in position".
Back in the hotel room Benji checked Ethan's position on the laptop. His image came back as a red heat signature. They had placed the IMF produced small thermal imaging technology devices on the roof of this and the only other building tall enough to be a 'risk'. Seeing only Ethans signature in the stairwell and nothing on the roofs, Benji announced, "your pathway is clear". "Acknowledged", Ethans voice came back.
Benji sighed heavily his gaze moving away from the laptop toward their hotel room. His eyes slid lazily over furnishing and floor to rest on the locked door of the bedroom. A slightly paranoid thought began to enter Benji's mind. They had been outside in that corridor with Ethan for a few minutes. It was probably long enough for someone with their captives intelligence to escape. He stood up and took a few steps toward the room. Jane knew immediately what her colleague was thinking when she saw him move. "Don't worry Benji", he can't get out, Jane reassured him firmly. Her voice still held a glimmer of pain and she grimaced as she walked slowly to his side. Benji knew all too well what pain felt like as his own injuries still ached fiercely. Out of all of them Ethan was the only one fuly functioning which was why he was out there all alone.
That thought prompted Benji to continue his slow painful limping progress toward the locked door. "Forget it Benji, it's impossible", Jane repeated. She was sure Benji's emotions were spilling over from previous events. All of them just needed this mission to end.
Benji though did not stop, "I know Jane but after all that has happened I just have to make sure", he told her.
Reaching into his pocket Benji brought out the electronic key and swiped it down the lock on the door. He pulled his gun out as the door beeped.
Jane shook her head and turned away from him and back toward the computer.
She gave a sharp intake of breath as she realized that things had changed.
The red dot that was Ethan's heat signature moved across the roof, that was as expected. However there should not be another red dot on the roof of the adjacent building. "Ethan you have company", Jane warned quickly. "Benji", she called out without moving her head, "I need you". The was silence for a minute then in a shaky voice Benji said some very disturbing words, "he's gone Jane".
Now Jane's head did move ,turning abruptly to stare at her colleague. "Don't even make a joke like that Benji", she chastised. As she finished speaking Benji stepped into the doorway and turned toward her. One glimpse at his white strained face and she knew he had not been joking. From his hand dangled a pair of IMF issue handcuffs that were supposedly escape proof ."Ethan sedated him", she muttered in disbelief.
Swallowing hard and turning away from Benji Jane focused on the most important thing, warning her colleague, "Ethan he's gone", "Ethan. There was no response. "We have to go see what is happening", Benji told Jane. "We wouldn't get there in time Jane", Benji replied sadly. Benji gritted his teeth and let forth his loudest yell down the comm lines, "ETHAN". "Don't do it", they heard the fear in Ethans words clearly as they came through the comm. system. Looking at the computer they could see that the two red heat signatures were now only about 2metres apart. Somehow that other red dot had found a way to cross the space between two buildings in mere minutes.
"If that's him then surely he won't hurt Ethan", Jane stated. Her tone was less than convincing. "We don't know what he'll do anymore Jane", Benji replied.
Up on the roof Ethan clenched his fist in an effort to stop the blood that ran down his hand. Somewhere in the dark his gun had gone flying and he was now unarmed. Before him was an impossibility. Yet he worked for IMF who believed in the impossible so he should know by now that the unexpected can happen. That impossibility was getting closer, bearing down on him with his weapon pointed squarely at his head.
Ethan found himself backing away until he hit the small closet size building that was the top of the stairwell. He sunk down by that small shelter determined not to make his full body a target.
The look of death in the impossibility's eyes chilled Ethan and he decided to make one final plea. "Please Brandt don't", he told the other man.
How his colleague had managed to shake off the effects of a sedative, escape from IMF handcuffs and leave a locked room was probably always going to be a mystery to Ethan.
All that was on his mind now was that one sentence in their colleagues file that had emerged from all the encrypted data. "This agent is considered highly unstable and must never be returned to active duty".
"Brandt please", he repeated. But there was no familiarity in those cold blue eyes and no mercy either. There was only death and all Ethan could do was wait for it to come and take him.