Chapter 2- gathering clouds

Will's apartment

Jane Carter sat in the comfortable yet boring chair and reflected upon how much the team had changed since she had been gone. She still felt the coldness upon her skin that had been her reaction to hearing what had happened on the last mission. She could not help sneak glances over at Benji who sat staring at the walls and only contributed to the conversation when he was asked a direct question. Ethan too had seemed shaken, and that was rare for him. His heart had actually stopped on the mission, so technically he'd died, how do you come back from staring death in the face that closely she wondered. Though knowing Ethan he was the one who would recover the quickest.

Then of course there was Brandt who seemed to more like the shaky analyst he used to be than an experienced agent. She watched as he came out of the kitchen area and put coffee upon the table before retreating back. Benji, and Luther had both looked at him, but Ethan had not. Their team leader had come back from the kitchen a short time ago saying nothing and just sat on a chair. She did not need to ask to know something had happened between Brandt and Ethan.

Brandt reappeared with a plate filled with cakes and then placed himself on a chair closest to her yet farthest from Ethan. Jane looked at the cakes and felt her eyebrow rise, she had expected something bought from the nearest shop, yet these looked home made. She took one and put it in her mouth and her eyes widened as the delectable taste hit her system. 'Wow, Will these are heavenly", she remarked.

For the first time Will felt himself smile. That smile broadened when the others all took a cake and made similar comments. Benji ended up eating three cakes and Luther had actually managed four. Ethan Hunt surprised himself by eating as many as Luther. He wondered if Will had made them as he had never given any indication that he was a good cook. "Did you make these", Jne asked ,obviously thinking the same thing. Will blushed slightly knowing there was going to be a comment from them when he said, 'they are from a lady friend". Jane grinned widely, "I must get the recipe", she remarked. "Sure", Will acknowledged greatful nothing else had been said. He guessed though that Jane knew from looking around this place that the was no woman living here full time.

Conversation faded off again, as they all settled contentedly back into their chairs. Ethan could see that this was indeed relaxing, Jane, Benji and Luther. Brandt though looked weary and tired. "So when do you think we will get another mission", Jane slipped the question out casually. The affect it had though, was like storm clouds on a sunny day. Benji got up, out off the chair and paced over to the window, his body broadcasting sudden tension. Brandt also got up, but covered his unease by simply returning the coffee and cake to the kitchen. Ethan looked at both of them, then back at Jane. She was now biting her lip.

"I have a meeting with Hunley tomorrow", Ethan told her. "We will see what he had in store for me".

Of course Ethan did not feel relaxed around the new secretary yet, as the man had tried to hunt him down and kill him. After showing him what they could do at least Hunley did now respect the talent within his newly acquired IMF teams and would make use of that talent.

It was not long after that that they all drifted away with Benji the first to leave, followed by Jane and Luther. Ethan hung around for a moment just to tell his team mate, "Brandt if you need help, you know where to find it", then he left.

William Brandt slumped into a chair and blew out of breath of relief. So far his act was shaky, yet working. He would have to keep it up though and knew that was only going to get harder.

For now he too had to prepare himself for going back to work, though for him that meant as an analyst and not an agent. He had not told Ethan about that yet. He guessed Hunley would tomorrow.

Xxxxxx

Clint's home

In another state Natasha Romonoff was walking through a deserted farmhouse. The walls had been sprayed with different colours of paint and the floor was littered with broken furniture and rotting food scraps. Clint and Laura's home had been trashed. She could tell from the boot impressions that it had probably been some sort of troops that had done the damage. She kicked a pile of cans up angrily, how dare they do that.

Sharp worry gnawed at her insides, she hoped Clint , Laura and the children were safe.

She could no longer contact Clint on his number as it had been disconnected. But perhaps Laura's had not. Very few people would know Laura Bartons cell phone number and Tony Stark was definitely not on the list.

She dialed the number. "Hello", Laura sounded stressed. "Laura its Nat", Natasha said simply. 'Nat, thank goodness you are alright. I was worried about you", Laura stated. Natasha smiled, if Clint had said she had been on the opposite side to him it had not affected his wife's opinion of her. The next words though shot fear straight through her. "A lot of worries were going through my mind. Then I though of you and decided that's where Clint must be. Can I talk to him", Laura asked.

Natasha suddenly did not know what to say and unfortunately Laura Barton picked up upon that fact. "He's not there, is he Nat. I knew something else was going on", she said. "Something else like what Laura. He was in the raft then Steve got him out. I thought he'd come home after that",Nat told her.

"So did I Nat, but he has not which tells me that he is involved in something he does not want us to know about", Laura replied. Natasha could clearly hear her voice become shaky as she concluded, "I am scared Nat".

Natasha forgot all about her and Clint being on opposite sides of an argument. She had not seriously been trying to hurt him at the airport and he had also been pulling his punches. Still she had known that there would be fallout for both of them. "I will find him Laura and after smacking him for scaring you so much I will make sure he comes home", Natasha vowed.

She hung up and looked speculatively around the trashed home. She doubted Clint would leave any obvious clues here as to his current whereabouts. But she knew him a lot better than most people, so perhaps there was something not so obvious. What ever it took she was going to find out what Clint was doing.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

IMF headquarters undisclosed location

Ethan Hunt sat in the secretaries office and looked around him . Hunley had already personalized the place to his own taste. He stood up as Secretary Hunley entered and waited for the man to invite him to sit down again. "So Hunt, I guess I should get the air clear and apologise for sending that hit squad after you", Hunley told him. Ethan nodded, "you were doing what you perceived to be the best thing at the time. If I had been rogue, you would have been within your rights to take the actions you did". I too had to do what I thought was right too, as did my team". There that should tell Hunley that he was okay with the actions of everyone upon the mission.

"Your team", Hunley repeated the words. "It seems like you don't have much of one left", he continued.

Ethan felt his ire rise even though he knew it was not wise. "It was a difficult mission and there is bound to be fallout from that. My team is still the best there is", Ethan said it confidently.

Hunley nodded, he had after all witnessed how good these agents were. They had managed to successfully turn the tables on him and gain the upper hand back. He was not in the least bit angry about that, more like impressed. These were a different calibre of agents than he was used to in the CIA. From the whispers with IMF , he knew what Ethan Hunt said was not ego it was the truth. Ethan Hunt, was considered the best agent IMF had ever had, and his current team the most successful combination.

Yet now that team was fractured. "Dunn will take awhile to regain the confidence he has lost", Hunley told Ethan. "I know, yet he will get it back. He just needs a little time", Ethan stated."Time or perhaps the right incentives, I agree with you there. He will rejoin your team. "You can also have Jane Carter, back in your team I don't have a problem with that", Hunley continued. Okay Ethan thought, he's mentioned two, so far so good. Onto the next one, "what about Brandt", he asked. Hunley pursed his lips, "he is back working as the chief analyst", he stated.

Now that was a shock. Brandt had not mentioned that over coffee and cake. Of course he knew that would have just led to a debate and that was obviously not what he wanted. "Brandt is a fine, agent, I trust him one hundred percent", Ethan told Hunley firmly." He needs to be in the field and not stuck in some office somewhere".

Hunley said nothing for a moment, then told Ethan, "I agree about being in the field Hunt, though he is a superb analyst.", He looked Ethan in the eye, "the question I have is not about whether you trust him, it is does he trust you." Hunley was echoing the same concerns Luther had. Ethan was about to reply when Hunley raised his hand. "At the moment I am keeping him where he is. There is an issue there Hunt and it needs to be resolved before he is put back into the field".

Unlike Benji Brandt was less open with Ethan. It was obvious that Benji had been traumatized after the last mission. He knew they all had been. But Brandt shut his worries in behind a mask and they festered away. Ethan guessed that deep down he still doubted himself as an agent. Hunley was correct in keeping him out of the field if that was the case as doubts could not only be fatal to him, but to people around him. He hoped that Brandt would open up to people outside the team and talk about what was going on in his mind.

"So moving on Hunt", Hunley stated firmly. "I have a task for you".

Ethan could imagine what it was, teaching new agents, or some other menial task that would keep him occupied until he was ready to leave IMF. Even though Hunley seemed to agree about the team, he was still sidelining them.

But his next words paralysed Ethan, "go talk to Lane". Hunley was watching Ethan and saw the slight reaction. Lane had been one of the agents toughest opponents and Ethan Hunt was still shaking off the effects of their encounter. He would do his job though, Hunley had no doubt about that.

"Why", Ethan finally asked after a moment of shutting out all the swirling thoughts going through his head. "I just want your impressions at this stage", Hunley told him. "After you talk to him, I want you to review this", he placed a flash drive and a brown file on his desk. "Once you have done that come back and talk to me again", Hunley concluded.

Ethan took the drive and folder off the table without further comment. Then he stood up and left the secretaries office without saying goodbye. He did not see Hunley's brief smile .

Benji met him half way down the corridor. His face was pale and eyes red, he had most likely come from a counseling session.

"Hey Benji", Ethan said casually. He was not going to tell Benji anything about his latest task from Hunley. Benji moved past him quickly then stopped in front of him. "I want to be the one who talks to Lane", he said in a firm voice. Ethan felt his mouth drop open , how did Benji know what he was going to do. Then he remembered Hunley saying that Benji may need the right incentive to return to the field. Their new secretary obviously thought that Benji seeing Lane again may just help him heal and had told him about Ethan's task. He decided that Hunley may just be onto something. "Alright, you can come with me. Then after that we will collect Jane and go through this file together. I don't know why Hunley has set us this task but it feels important", Ethan told him. As yet this was not a mission. Hunley was only asking for a review. But even mentioning Lane's name had Ethan feeling like he was in a cold sweat.

This maybe about more than just therapy.

The trip to visit Lane in the maximum security facility was not a long one. Ethan and Benji both talked about trivialities on the way in order to limit any anxiety feelings. Lane was a master at manipulating feelings and would use that sort of thing against them. Words were the only way he could hurt them now, yet even those could have a damaging effect.

Lane was behind a thick plastic wall, not unlike the cage they had trapped him in, just a little bigger.

He had been pacing up and down in that cell until he saw Ethan and Benji, then he stopped. "Well", he said in that soft gravelly voices, "I did not expect a visit so soon". He came close to the thick plastic and stared Benji right in the face, "how are the nightmares going Agent Dunn. Do you wake up screaming as you see yourself and others explode ,over and over".

Benji had been mentally preparing himself for this moment ever since Hunley had casually told him Ethan's task. He had only a moments hestitation about seeing Lane again. The man was a captive now and could do no more to him. Maybe it would help him to see him like that.

But if he thought that Lane would seem helpless then he was mistaken, the man stood tall and confident with that smile that grated upon ones nerves after awhile. Benji stood his tallest as well and let Lane see his shakes. He should not really care if this man knew he had touched a nerve. Benji was proud that he could feel and not be like the man in front of him. 'Sure I do", he told Lane. "But they will not last forever, unlike your predicament".

Ethan smothered a smile at that. "Nice Dunn", Lane replied sarcastically without taking the smirk of his face. He looked at both of them, "so why are you here, therapy", he pointed to Benji. "Does it help to see me like this", Lane came over to stand directly in front of Benji. But when Benji did not move he took one step back. Benji smiled at that and stated "it does". Lane laughed loudly. "So my victors have come to see their defeated captive, to celebrate victory. Are you happy to be the best there is again Hunt", Lane stated. Then he added, 'are you sure you are".

"He's better than you and what's left of the syndicate. We know who all of them are and they cannot hide from us". So you can wipe your smirk off your face", Benji had raised his voice somewhat.

"We know who you are as well Dunn", Lane retorted calmly. "You have a much too inflated opinion of yourselves. There may be some things even your mighty leader cannot control. Perhaps I should have made sure he could never intervene in the first place and used poison gas instead of knockout. Yes , I admit I underestimated you. I would not do it again", Lane concluded.

"Well I hope you enjoy plotting our demise from behind your cell walls", Benji stated calmly again. "I am going to go and enjoy the nice day outside, with my friends". He turned to Ethan, "I have said all I need to say. Shall we get out of here".

Ethan nodded. He looked over at Lane who was studying him frankly with a smirk. His attitude had not changed at all over the time they were here. He was not the type to let them see any weakness.

"Goodbye Lane", Ethan stated. "Oh goodbye Hunt, I doubt we will meet again", Lane stated. The way he said it sounded more definite than just Ethan not coming to visit again. "You cannot touch me ,my friends or anyone in IMF", Ethan reminded him firmly. "The syndicate is finished Lane, but IMF is not".

Lane just smirked even wider. 'You cannot stop everything Hunt and neither can IMF", was his last comment.

Ethan left quickly not looking back at Lane, he caught up with Benji . "Are you okay", he asked softly. Benji nodded, "It was hard, yet it did help me to see him like that, though he is still a smug bastard, even in defeat."

"Yes, he is", Ethan agreed as he tried to shake off the feelings Lane had left within him. There was still this sour taste in his mouth though that would not go away."Now we have that part over why don't we see what is on that flashdrive. We will goto my place and ring Jane from there", Ethan told his frined. Benji let silence fall for awhile companionably walking alongside Ethan. When he thought the silence had stretched long enough he asked, "we are not calling Brandt to come and join us as well". Ethan shook his head, "Hunley says there is an issue there. I am not sure it is anything to do with the last mission either, Brandt is not the forthcoming type", Ethan remarked.

"He has been a little quiet. Then there is all those bruises he seems to end up with", Benji said thoughtfully. Ethan stared , he had not thought anyone else had noticed the bruising on Brandts arm during their morning tea. "Yeah I asked him how he brusied his arm at our get together. He lied then basically told me to mind my own business when I called him out about the lie", Ethan told Benji. "I was not talking about the morning tea, I didn't notice anything then. It was about 1 week ago. I caught him in the bathroom at IMF changing his shirt because it had blood around by the stomach area. He looked like he might have been in a fight. When I made a comment he told me to 'bloody well keep out of his business" and he was super ninja scary, never seem him like that before", Benji replied. "Shit, you should have told me Benji, it is obvious something is going on with him. Maybe I will have to corner him again and threaten to report him if he does not tell me what the heck he has been doing", Ethan mused. "I hope it does not come to the reporting part Ethan, might not be so good if he is doing something IMF would not approve. Maybe just try to talk to him again. Out of all of us, you have the best chance to get something out of him", Benji told him.

Ethan hoped he could get the answer from Brandt.

By the time they got to his apartment, Jane was already waiting. They had to go through the Brandt story again before settling down to review the file from the secretary.

A lot of information popped up onto the screen in front of them. "This looks like 3 separate incidences that have been given to us for analysis', Ethan remarked. "In each case there has been a death of a fairly important person". Benji was looking through the notes. "the computer chose these deaths because they resembled those carried out by members of the syndicate. However none of the people present at the time of the deaths match those on file as syndicate members".

Ethan was swallowing hard as he looked at them most recent file. "The deputy minister of defence died in this occasion .He was in a high security locked room on his own when the assassination occurred. There were approximately 5 other people present in the area, all possessing top level security clearance. The room and surrounding area also possessed high grade security monitoring systems including mask detectors. So no impersonators could have gotten into the are ", Ethan stated.
"Then perhaps one of the 5 other people was paid to kill him. It does happen", Jane remarked. "It does", Ethan agreed. "But the security measures included tracking those 5 individuals continually. Not one of them entered the room."

"Hmm, that is a fairly clever hit then", Benji remarked. "Who could carry out such a hit",Ethan asked.

"You'd have to have high level expertise, like an agent or…"Benji broke off and felt himself go pale. "Hunley had us visit Lane for a reason. Then he gives us this file. It is fairly obvious what he is asking".

"Is the syndicate really dead", Ethan said. "Yes we have the lists of all known members but what if there are others not on that list. It would explain Lanes cocky attitude", he concluded. ""What about the comment that there are some things either you or IMF cannot deal with", Benji asked, "it kind of sounded like he already had made plans". "Lane can do nothing from within a cell", Ethan stated firmly. "But that does not mean someone else cannot. I do not know why he made that comment about IMF or me , It gives me this horrible feeling", Ethan told them seriously. "He is an arrogant man, he could just be playing you", Jane stated.

"Yes, he could, but this file tells me that something is going on". It looks like the syndicate is not as dead as we thought", Ethan concluded. They all felt the shivers at that statement.

"So what do we do, get more information from Lane", Jane asked. "He won't tell us and I think in his case persuasion is going to take a long time. Perhaps he does not even know names himself. It would be safer that way". No if we want any answers we are going to have to find them ourselves", Ethan remarked.

"How", Benji asked seriously surprising himself that he felt no doubts about facing the syndicate again. No matter what had happened to him deep down was a resolve to not let Lane or the syndicate win and quitting would do that.

"We have this file, and it has comprehensive information. Whoever put it together has laid out the positions of all the players for us. Now all we have to do is find out how those assassinations were carried out. That might tell give us a clue as to the identities of the person or persons responsible. If there were only 5 other people in present in the area at the time of the assassination then one of them has to be the killer", Ethan stated as he turned the playback to the beginning again.

"We are going to go over every thing in this file. Then we are going to give our answer to Hunley and put an end to another syndicate", Ethan said it like that promise it was.