Paris International Airport, 9:04 pm
Amir couldn't focus on the situation at hand. He kept looking at Yvette. She was silent, yet watching everything happening around her in the airport terminal. Amir recalled her actions while they were undercover in Africa at the training camp. She somehow kept the compound running for over 20 guys. He realized her household tasks gave her license to snoop. His intelligence had to come direct from the men, but they could embellish stories or outright lie and Amir wouldn't know the difference.
The American team spread themselves around the open terminal. The glass windows along the wall gave space for surveillance and they could watch the airport employees doing their job as the plane approached. Yvette's eyes glanced over the American team and the other individuals waiting in the terminal.
"Nous ouvrons la porte." Airport security radioed Yvette.
"Airport door opening." She translated. The Americans focused on the airplane exit.
Amir noticed Yvette looked at a flight attendant. Amir followed her eyeline and saw noticed the other woman give a slight nod. His focus snapped to attention. Just because he wanted to trust Yvette doesn't mean he should. He looked around the space as passengers began exiting the plane.
Several men were the first group into the airport. They were dressed in suits and carried laptop bags obviously looking like businessmen. McG did wonder about them but they didn't even pause as they left the gate.
A family came off the plane. Tourists, Yvette noted.
More people came down the gangway but were all passed over for various reasons; too young, too old, etc.
"No sign of Hampton." McG voiced what everything was thinking, "I figured he'd be in first class."
"I told you he's not on the plane." Yvette reminded.
"So who is?" Dalton snapped.
"Someone he wants us to notice." Yvette knew tradecraft and sleight of hand. "You see someone you recognize and all your focus automatically goes to that person. Then they are able to sneak in whatever they want."
"But not actually Hampton." Dalton pointed out the irony of her statement.
"No. If he shows up, I'd kill him without a second thought."
McG's eyes widened and he looked at the French woman. She was serious.
"Revenge doesn't feel as good as you think it will." Preach's steady voice came over their comms.
"Who said it would be revenge? This is my job…protect France and my family." Yvette watched as a sandy haired man strolled off the plane. Jaz noticed the military haircut, "They've really got to work on their undercover persona."
"Sometimes they want you to notice certain people. You are tricked into thinking that they are who you are waiting for so you focus on them and stop looking." Yvette was watching a wiry dark-skinned man leave the plane. Weighted down with bags, he balanced them well as he spoke with the female at the counter.
"You're giving Hampton more credit that he deserves." Dalton stated.
Yvette blinked, "You don't seem to understand what he is capable of."
"And you do?" Jaz retorted.
"Hampton was a field agent for years with high profile ops and international contacts; don't underestimate him just because he has become a supervisor." Yvette pointed out, "He had his pick of agencies; he is going to get the best to assist him. Military man is a dead giveaway, you want someone that people won't expect." Yvette studied a blond woman with a computer bag slung over her shoulder.
"I hate saying this but she makes sense." Amir looked at more passengers as the main cabin continued to empty out.
"Merde!" The swear word slipped out of the native French speaker. The special ops team automatically looked at Yvette. She spoke quietly into the microphone on her wrist. Yvette hadn't offered any of them connection to her radio so they had no idea what she was saying.
"What's up?" Dalton wondered.
Yvette didn't respond as she moved toward a passenger. Jaz followed her focus and blanched when she also recognized the man.
He was in his late 50s or 60s, tall, confident and gave a smile when he saw the Frenchwoman. He stepped toward her, "Good to see you."
"You know I don't feel the same. What are you doing here?" Yvette's voice was on edge.
"Working."
She crossed her arms, "You definitely don't have a work permit so that's not true. I knew you have a history with Hampton but I didn't think he would want you here."
"You should have counted on it."
"Because he wants to kill me and you are the guy to do it?"
"Murdering you has never been my goal." The man's voice was smooth and calm.
"Then you are just here to threaten and confuse me?"
"Of course." The man smiled.
She raised an eyebrow, "You know Jaz is here, right?"
"Yes."
"So are you trying to protect me from Jaz…or Jaz from me?" As she spoke, the new man saw an employee door open behind Yvette.
"Does it matter? You two have more in common than either of you want to admit." He waited a beat for the two airport employees who exited the door to move away. As the door slowly began to close, the male traveler shoved Yvette toward it. She stumbled backward at his force.
"What are you…?" Yvette grabbed his arms to keep herself upright but he controlled her movements propelling her back through the opening and then out of the terminal.
"Let me go…" Her voice was cut off when the door slammed behind them blocking the American's line of sight to the Paris woman.
"Yvette!" Amir couldn't get to her in time.
"Not good." Dalton said was everyone was thinking.
"What happened?" Patricia had been watching other people on the video screens that she had missed the Frenchwoman getting separated from the group, "Did he just kidnap her?"
McGuire grabbed the door handle. "It's locked."
"We've got to get to her." Preach looked around for another entrance. Amir looked at the flight attendant who appeared to know Yvette and she apparently was oblivious to the situation that had just happened. She stayed at the customer service counter and was helping the disembarking passengers.
"Top, that was my dad!" Jaz was reeling and confused.
"Your dad?!" Dalton's jaw dropped.
"Did Yvette say he knew Hampton?" McG wondered.
"Yeah."
"I had no idea." Jaz was shocked.
"We need to find her. Is there another door to get where she is?" Dalton looked around, "Noah?"
"Working on it." The tech was scrambling to click through pages as he searched the hacked floor plans.
Preach glanced back to the door and saw Yvette come back—without the man, "She's back."
Yvette gestured to the team, "Let's go."
She was stopped by a male. He laid a hand on her arm and leaned in close. Their quick words were in French, but Jaz caught a few as she approached.
"…doing fine." Yvette told him.
"Keep going." The man broke off from her and stayed in the departure gate while Yvette headed away, leading the American back where they came from. Dalton watched him warily.
Jaz reached for Yvette, "You obviously know my father: did you kill him?"
"Of course not!"
"You just left him there?"
"No."
"So what happened?"
"He's been arrested." The Frenchwoman retorted
"How do you know him?" Preach asked as he neared the two.
"Ephraim's a longtime coworker and friend of Hampton's." Yvette admitted, "I just didn't think Hampton would recruit him for this." She stopped at an airport flight desk and asked in French, "Did they get tagged?"
"Oui." The man smiled.
"Surveillance teams in place?"
"Yes ma'am. Here is a list of passengers." He gave her two pieces of paper.
"Match every person on the flight. I want all ID's checked." Yvette scanned the names, "Be sure all the photos match the person and run them through the database. Check any online presence for concerns. I want to know about anyone who sets off a flag: photo doesn't match or even if they have all the right answers but something doesn't feel right. Can I keep this?" She held up the paper. He nodded and she stepped back to the Americans. "Let's go."
"Why are we leaving?" McG asked.
"All the passengers aren't off the plane yet." Preach pointed out.
"The important ones are." Yvette told them.
"What is going on and where is Jaz's father?" Dalton tried to slow her down.
"Ephraim can handle himself so don't worry about him. Hampton's good but he obviously doesn't mind sacrificing you so don't push me." Yvette snapped as she headed for the airport entrance. She moving fast and the Americans had to quicken their pace to keep up.
"What is this all about?" Jaz was thrown by her dad's appearance.
"I'm guessing you weren't told about your families spy history." Yvette was not happy.
"What are you talking about? He was furious with me for joining the military. Even less thrilled about applying for special forces." Jaz argued
"He probably wanted you to join the CIA. Ephraim was one of their best spies. He recruited and trained most of their top agents, definitely a company man."
Jaz's mouth dropped open. She closed it as memories ran through her mind, "You have to be mistaken."
"No, I'm not." Yvette's voice was strong, "Ephraim Khan is a first-rate CIA operative and not someone you want to mess with."
