Chapter 7- spy versus spy

They turned facing each other directly. Both had their guns drawn and aimed. Only this time it was different, they were not working together. Now they were on opposite sides and only one of them could walk away. 'You were trying to use us Brandt", Ethan spat out as he circled closer to Brandt. "I am the betrayer myself now Ethan, it is what I am supposed to do", Brandt replied lazily. He backed slowly away keeping distance between himself and Ethan while making his way to toward the rooms only exit. Ethan he knew could not allow him to make out of that door so he began to fire. Bang a bullet whizzed toward him and he rolled while firing a shot of his own. He saw Ethan leap then come up firing. So began the dance, both of them leaping and both of them firing. Bullets flew around them hitting mortor and sending it spraying over their bodies. They hardly noticed the small bleeding wounds keeping their focus on each other. So far the leaps were perfectly timed , but both of them were flagging. Ethan found himself feeling taxed like never before, Brandt was slowly wearing him down. But Brandt was just better at hiding the exhaustion, sooner or later he knew someone would make a mistake. When it happened it was probably just a millisecond of time, a movement a little too slow, instead of wall the bullet hit flesh.

From the bright red stain that spread across his chest he knew it had to be fatal. Indeed as he watched he saw the eyes that were once full of life cloud over. Flying through the air the body came down with an audible smack and lay with sightless eyes staring at the roof. The gun rolled from his hand to lay beside him. It was over…

1 hour earlier

"Draw your weapons", IMF agent Brenner chastised Benji and Jane as they approached the room where Brandt had been staying. Both of them drew, but could feel their fingers shaking on the trigger, this was someone they had thought of as a friend. Noticing their reluctance, Brenner yelled, "don't hesitate to shoot, Brandt is very dangerous." "Don't we want to give him a chance to surrender", Jane asked shakily. Brenner glared at her, "Mulun will only order his execution himself and it will be a lot less pleasant than being shot by us. We are doing him a favour Carter. He does not deserve that."

Taking up positions on opposite sides of the doorway Benji and Jane waited anxiously for the order that would have them fly through the door. Even though Brandt had obviously betrayed them both of them still hoped he would not be in that room.

He wasn't, though it took another 5 heart pounding moments before they found that out.

"Looks like he was not going to stay long, no clothes in the closet, not toiletries, this was probably a decoy room", Brenner mused after looking around. "We are going to have to conduct a search, he had to be somewhere in this hotel".

"Why if I was him I would be running for my life", Benji countered. "He has been paid a lot of money to stop the deal between Mulun and this country. Peace it seems is not good for the illegal weapons traders that have been using Mulun's country as a depot. Brandt wanted to force your Ethan Hunt to take out Mulun causing renewed tension between our countries and keeping illegal trade alive and well." If Brandt does not see his mission through his reputation will suffer and the other countries will not deal with him again. So he is here somewhere and we are going to find him", Benner ordered

"I am going to search this floor. Dunn you and Montreal search the one below, Carter you and Smith check the floor above. Be creative in your searching and do a thorough job".

He dismissed them all. Jane went with Agent Peter Smith and found she felt increasingly more jumpy as they used a universal card key to open each door. Finally Smith noticed her tension and spun toward her, "did you love him or something", he accused. "What of course not", Jane spluttered that out quickly hoping that she could make her feelings go away. But she could still feel her heart slowly bleeding from the fact that she had cared too much for a man that had betrayed her country. She must have let something slip because Smith spat out, "don't bloody bother to lie. It is written all over you. You are useless to me in this state. Go back to your room and wait . I will take care of the search myself".

Jane did not bother to try to dissuade him just walking away on shaking legs. She made her way back to the room she had shared with the others and threw herself down on the bed.

Hands over her face she tried hard not to sob. Concentrating on her body and mind she grasped for calm and quiet. That was when she heard the rustling. Springing up from the bed she had her gun out in a second. But it was too late as she saw the blur of an arm cross her vision and her gun go flying. Looking up Jane found William Brandt staring back at her. Launching herself forward she made to kick him hard. But her legs did not swing upward quickly enough and she found her ankle being caught in a firm grip.

Then he was forcing her backward and using his weight to trap her helpless flat against the mattress.

Jane closed her eyes believing that in seconds she would be dead at the hands of someone she had cared for. What a fool she was. Then she felt the hands loosen, "Jane don't try to hit me", Brandt softly asked. She made to strike out at him, only to be captured again. "You were just playing a game with all of us", she accused. "So Ethan Hunt did not send you to my room then", Brandt countered. "Alright he did", Jane confessed. "But he was right not to trsut you", Jane shouted. She struggled again but found Brandt's grip would not give way. Despite the strength of the grip he had not caused physical harm to her yet. Letting herself relax somewhat Jane asked, "what do you want. "I just came to collect my laptop Jane, I decided I might need it", Brandt replied.

She dared herself to look into his blue eyes. Strangely enough coldness did not great her, she could see his affection and it startled her. Still he could not afford to leave her here to tell the others about him. "What will you do to me" she asked shakily. Brandt did not reply immediately just holding her and studying her, "you are so beautiful when you are angry", he found himself saying. Janes eyes widened even more. "Jane I want you to ask yourself two questions, the first is if I am as ruthless as they make out then why haven't I killed you", the other one is 'why has Premier Mulun never used my name. We have known each other a long time after all", Brandt told her. Jane found the questions whizzing around in her brain. She did not have time to form an answer though because Brandt pulled her forward and then softly and slowly kissed her lips.

"I know they will send Ethan after me Jane", he told her as he surfaced from the kiss. "It was always going to come to a battle between the two of us". I guess we will finally know who is best".

Despite the still tingling warmth on her lips Jane felt a chill fill her, 'you can't take on Ethan ", she told him. Brandt softly touched one cheek, "I have no choice Jane", he told her. For a long minute he held her image in his mind drinking in her beauty and warmth. Then he said the words that she had not wanted to hear, "good bye Jane". It sounded so permanent.

He was gone before she had realized leaving the traces of his hard yet warm grip on her arms and legs.

She did not move curling her self into the bed some more. When Denver same to tell her off about caring for Brandt she would tell him exactly where he could stick his job. Her career with IMF was over and some part of her was very happy about that fact.

Benji and Joel Montreal entered the fire escape door and caught a flash of grey suit, "there he is", Joel shouted. Both of them picked up the place ,stepping fast up the stairs. Benjis heart was pounding and sweat pooled on his face. He turned around another corner and just about collided with Montreal. The other agent had stopped and had his gun raised to the stairs above him. "He's stopped up there",he told Benji. It was agony just standing there, his hands and feet were going slowly numb from the chill of the fire escape. Joel moved forward slowly and what happen next was forever etched into Benjis brain.

With one fluid movement Brandt sprung out from the level above and fired directly at Montreal. Benji registered the bullet hitting his colleague and him falling to the ground. He raised his own weapon only to find himself staring straight down the muzzle of Brandts gun. "Drop it Benji", came an order in a voice that held not one hint of friendship. He could almost feel a bullet pounding into his own flesh. So Benji dropped the gun. Brandt was on him in a second pulling his hands behind his back roughly. "I am letting you live because you saved my life in India Benji", Brandt told him. "If we meet like this again I won't be so generous". He pulled the plastic strips tight on Benji;s wrists. "You are a geek Benji", he Brandt told him. Then he bent low over Benji muttered something in his ear and slapped his face hard. After that he was gone.

Benji was struggling on the cold concrete floor when Harold Denver himself found him. "Brandt was here about 5 minutes ago', he told the secretary. "Yes and I see you failed to take him out. Lucky for you he felt you owed him. Agent Dunn you are a disappointment to me. I will be recinding your ability to work in the field. You obviously can't make handle things appropriately", Denver growled.

"Appropriately, Brandt had a bloody gun trained on my, sir", Benji spat back. "Yes and he did not fire which gave you an opportunity. But you did not take it. So you are out and don't bloody swear at me again", Denver stormed.

He left Benji still tied up on the stairs not bothering to removed the earwigs from his ears.

That was why Benji heard the words that chilled his soul and made him fear for his best friend Ethan Hunt, "I have him".

So its started with the two best agents, one for the US and one for anyone with enough money facing each other.

It ended with spent bullet casings lying on the ground beside one body.

The door opened and Denver,Mulun and several IMF agents including Benji and Jane entered."Well at least I can rely on you Hunt", Denver stated a he looked over at Brandt's body." Both of your colleagues have been removed from duty, so much for the best team in IMF", he gave a little huff. "You can go on with another team".

Ethan ignored Denver and joined Benji and Jane. All of them began to step toward Brandts body. "No", Mulun told them loudly. "His body is mine", he clicked his fingers and his two guards came over and pulled up Brandt's arms and dragged his still limp body across the floor and out of the room. Ethan ,Jane and Benji watched until the door closed.

"Now the protégé has been dealt with we can talk about meeting your president", Mulun told Denver.

"Yes", Denver replied. He turned to Ethan, "you are dismissed for now Agent Hunt. I will call you when I have a new mission and a new team".

He waited for Ethan to acknowledge. Ethan found Jane and Benji looking at him with sad shocked eyes, his mouth opened and he stated, "screw you". He left a very long pause before adding "sir" and then storming out of the room with Benji and Jane behind him.

"I am sorry Premier some agents just can't handle the pressure", Denver stated. Mulun shook his head, "well if they were your best team I hate to see your worst". Maybe you need to sort out your house Mr secretary".

Once this is over I will, come my friend" ,he linked arms with Mulun, "lets talk peace, there is no one left to stop us".

"No, one to stop us", Mulun repeated with a grin that Denver could not see, but clearly spoke of triumph. His goal was one step closer.