Chapter 10- fast pace
Mulun stood just inside the doorway and flexed his bruised knuckles then put them up to his face and sucked them. He was standing like that when the door opened and one of his bodyguards entered. With a sour expression he regarded the man. "A little late aren't you Yujin. Lucky you have other uses or I'd send you home right now". Yujin knew never to look Mulun in the eye when you have disappointed him. He held his gaze on the floor, 'sorry sir', he stated quickly. Then he looked up again, "I heard a noise what happened".Mulun shook his fist at the guard, "Something I really didn't expect. It nearly ruined our entire mission". But not to worry I took care of it".
The guards looked around the room and noticed the sheet on the body had been moved. He went over and pulled the sheet right down staring at the dead agent underneath. "What exactly happened", he asked again. "It seems that female agent loved him and blamed me for his death. She was a bit put out", Mulun stated mildly. "But not to worry she was just like all the others, underestimated me. It has been dealt with."We will not have to worry about her again and their will be no repercussions. Peace with me is far more important that just one sorry little girl".
Yujin touched Brandt's body, "I suppose love complicates things", he observed softly. Mulun scowled at him, "I hope that was not sentiment Yujin because they were both fools". He walked over and looked lazily at Brandt. "Look where it got them, one could say that he is a real dummy'. Is that a good expression", he asked his bodyguard.
"I would say it is a very apt description of him", Yujin replied. They both started to laugh and kept it up until Mulun got down to business. "Since this one betrayed me I will have to get you to buy the parts I need to finish the device ". They will be keeping a close watch on me, so I will not be able to contact the seller."
"Naturally it will be my pleasure", Yujin replied with a long low bow. "Once we have the parts you can finish the device".
My visit with their President will be happening soon and I want to have my little surprise all ready.
All that talk about bombs and poison put them way off track. They are never going to see this coming", Mulun grinned.
"No they are too caught up in our little play, but lets not forget about our watchers", Yujin cautioned."No lets not, but I have them right where I want them", Mulun stated. "Since tomorrow is such a busy day we must now focus on cleansing our minds, lets us retire back to our rooms. Tomorrow we must finalise everything."
Yujin bowed, "it is an honor to serve", he stated before retiring. Mulun lifted his knuckles up to his face again ,"what a she cat" he stated with grin.
The next morning Harold Denver entered the Premiers suite early with Agent Brenner by his side.
"I hope there was no problems with those terrible agents of yours", were Mulun's first words to him.
"Well they have all resigned. But since they disappointed me it is no big loss. I had expected more of Ethan Hunt but oh well he was obviously never the best", Denver muttered
Mulun really did not care too much what happened to the agents just replying ",Well I am glad you sorted it out. Lets get down to business, when will I meet with your President".
"Things are being finalized now, sir", Denver stated. "We do however need to talk about a few rules."
"Naturally the President will not be alone with you during the visit. He has chosen a chief advisor Kyle Lumbly to be by his side." You will however be required to meet him by yourself leaving your guards behind." Denver looked around the room after saying that and noted there was only one body guard present. "Where are your two other guards", he asked. One of course had been Brandt using the illusion of the guard. "One just scouted the room and hotel for threats then when satisfied returned to the embassy. ' The other one, well surely you know Mr Secretary, you have surveillance on us", Mulun stated blandly. "Of course",came back Denvers answer quickly. "I'm sure he is once again enjoying the bar. Maybe I am not the only one who needs better staff", he dared suggest. "That is not your call", Muluns eyes had narrowed. "Yujin has his uses".
"I am sure he does", Denver replied mildly. He got up and moved around the suite opeing the door to the room where Brandt's body was held. Moving inside he went to lift the sheet and looked down at the dead agent. "What are you going to do with him", he asked Mulun.
"I am taking him back to show my chief of security that I have won our little game", Mulun explained.
Denver frowned in confusion, "game", he queried. "Yes you see the protégé was chosen from amongst many trainee agents by my chief of security. He did not inform me of the mans specific identity saying that if I could break his cover then anyone could. It was a challenge for me." But I won".
Denver did not really want to know about games, he just saw a flaw in Mulun's chief of security's logic. "But that seems rather risky Premier. If you did not who the protégé was then potentially anyone could take on that mantle. You could have been infiltrated by one of our agents trying to find out if your motives for peace were just".'
"Of course Mr Secretary that is why I tested him with the old 'remember when stories" and he knew enough not to be a plant".
"But you are correct, it was a risky undertaking and I am planning on shooting my head of security in the head when I see him again", Mulun said it with a glint in his eyes.
Denver felt his lips twist, this man was certainly not a forgiving ruler, in fact he must be disturbed as now he was smiling about killing his chief of security. "You should see your face, man,it is just my little joke",Mulun told him. "I admire my chief of security".
It totally dripped with insincerity but Denver did not want to offend the man and cause the peace process to stall. So he out a forced laugh and settled for warning, "the President will not appreciate jokes like that'.
"Well then he has no sense of humor", Mulun retorted with a growl that set his face in a horrid position. It reverted quickly and Mulun calmed himself again. "But not to worry Mr Secretary I will restrain myself. I look forward to our visit immensely. It will be a day the whole world will remember".
"Indeed", Denver agreed thinking that all he wanted to do was get away." I will leave you to enjoy the rest of your day and contact you again soon", he held out his hand and Mulun shook.
Then Denver left with Agent Brenner trailing in his wake. Once outside the door he quickly contacted his agents, "are you still trailing that bodyguard", he asked. He heard puffing sounds and wheezing as a reply then, "dammit he's fast. I am sorry sir but he just gave us the slip".
"Can't you do anything right", Denver stormed. "I want him found now or you might join Hunt and the others on the redundancy list". "The 'yes sir' he got back sounded truly scared which meant his threat had gotten through. "You can't outwit me Mulun", he snarled loudly. Agent Brenner looked a little distrurbed by his chief talking to himself. So Denver put those thoughts into his head, carefully planning his next move.
A few hours later Yujin was bent low over a circuit board adding parts. "Just a few more adjustments then we will be ready sir", he stated.
"Oh good, I am getting rather tired of this game. I want to finish it off", Mulun stated.
"Well you are a good player sir", Yujin complimented. "Good I am the best Yujin, nobody can beat me. Look at what I have done. Their agents are all falling like dominos. I have already taken their best and brightest from the picture. Soon their president will fall. Then the whole world will know my power", he grinned again.
Yujin thought he sounded like he was from some bad movie but did not want to be shot so said not one word just keeping to his task.
Soon the complete device was in front of him. 'There sir", he stated. "Good, I will put it in my brief case for now, then I will see about its use later", Mulun decided.
He put the device in the case then placed it on the table. "I think we could have a drink now Yujin",he stated. Yujin poured some whisky into glasses and they clinked them together, "to success', they toasted.
"Keep your eyes on that case and don't let it out of your sight", Denver told his team.
That sentiment was echoed by Ethan to Benji. The case lay there not even being moved when Denver and Brenner entered the room 1 hour later. "I have spoken with the President and he has agreed to meet you in 45 minute time, Denver told Mulun. "That is quick", Mulun mused," I am guessing this time was probably planned earlier but you wanted to keep me off balance by not telling me until now. I completely understand that you do not trust me fully and doubt I would either. But we will forge a friendship and trust will grow", Mulun stated. Denver noted he did not sound that convincing. Friendship hmph, maybe uneasy alliance might be the best we can hope for.
"Will your press be attending , Mulun asked with a small grin. "Of course though they do not know at this stage what is happening. As you know the public are no officially aware of your prescence in the country. We did this to avoid conflict with protestors", Denver told him.
"Shooting them is much better solution", Mulun told him blandly. Denver was not too sure if that was another 'joke' or not. Knowing the mans reputation it was probably factual. But it was not up to him to have an opinion about Mulun. He had his mission and would carry it out.
"Mr Premier you need to get chnged before your meeting with the President. I notice you have some sauce on your collar. It may be trivial but appearances are important", Denver informed Mulun.
"Damn, Mulun looked at his shirt in the mirror. "Wait here Mr Secretary while I get changed", he disappeared into the other room.
"Well so far he has not touched that brief case", Benji observed. He kept watching the screen of his laptop and frowned when lines came over the picture. "This is like the interference I picked up shortly before IMF broke into our rooms last time", he stated. "I will just put the signal onto a lower frequency", he reached out to the lap top only to have Ethan's hand close around his. "No Benji," he stated, "that interference is a sign something is going down". ' Benji stared at the increasingly erratic picture and noticed something, "Ethan", he yelled," the brief case is gone".
He turned noticing Ethan was already toward the door with his gun drawn. Springing up from his chair he drew his own weapon and followed after his team leader.
They ran down the hotels corridors and burst with guns drawn into the Premiers suite. It was empty.
When seconds later an IMF team burst in well Ethan and Benji found themselves being regarded with hostility. "I believe you resigned", Brenner growled. "So this is not your show, leave now".
"Stow the bloody attitude Brenner, don't you realize you just got played. The weapon was what was wanted all along." Now we have an extremely dangerous person on the loose with the most terrifying creation of modern time", Ethan stated not bothering to soften anything for the agent. Brenner searched his mind for possible solutions to that scenerio and found exactly nothing. So he turned to the man he knew could think up the 'impossible', the infamous Ethan Hunt, 'what do we do", he stammered.
"Block all the exits with agents. I will find the bastard', Ethan ordered. Brenner was still floundering, "what about the peace process",he asked. "Well it looks like it got blown to hell, let's just hope it is not literally", Ethan remarked.
Brenner snapped out some orders. Ethan checked his weapon and left the room again.
Benji trailed after him. "How are we going to find him in this huge hotel", he stammered. Ethan noted that Benji was not thinking that clearly or he'd already know the answer. He took time to give his friend a quick shoulder squeeze of reasurrance, "It is easy Benji, he already told us where he was going. He is making his way to the Presidential suite to plan his little surprise."
"Oh shit, we had better get there before the President". Now Benji had resorted to stating the obvious. "Lets do this agent Dunn", Ethan ordered knowing instinctively that using the title 'agent would remind Benji to act like one.
Barrelling down the corridor at an even faster speed Ethan and Benji made it to the Presidential suite within 5 minutes. "Benji go around the the door on the other side and make sure nobody leaves. I am going in this way", Ethan ordered. Benji hesitated, "but Ethan shouldn't we wait for Brenner", he countered. "no, Benji, Brenner has no idea what he is up against. How do you think he is going to react when he finds out. We are up against one of the most brilliant agents I have ever know. One slip and we will leave that weapon in his hands. We know the stakes so we have to do this. Now do what I ask". Ethan held Benji's gaze until he moved down the corridor.
Then he mentally prepared both mind and body putting himself in 'high alert ' mode. Taking gentle hold of the door he flew it open fast and rolled to the ground. Upon stopping he heard not a sound, no indication anyone was there. But years of working as an agent had honed a deeper sense that went beyond what normal people could use. He knew without a doubt that someone was behind that door.
Okay they were obviously playing him and had some nasty surprise prepared. So time to draw the person out. He was dealing with an arrogant man, so some taunts show do the trick. "Come on now you have failed", he made sure he emphasized that word, "so come out now.'
Silence still reigned. It would be easy to get lured in, to open that door to check. But that instinct told him it was the wrong thing to do. "I know everything,so you can no longer hide from me". Give up now", he stated.
For minute he thought this would not work but then he heard, "so the mighty Ethan Hunt is not so stupid afterall". The attitude was keeping with what Ethan had heard out of Mulun's mouth many times. But the accent told him without a doubt that whoever was behind that door, it most definitely was not Mulun.