Midnight: Paris, France
The second-floor balcony overlooked the residential neighborhood. The night was still and quiet. A soft wind drifted over the houses, cooling the area. Yvette leaned her elbows on the railing, fingers running through her hair as she stretched her torso. She was exhausted but had to be on guard around the Americans.
"I can't decide if you are hiding from us or preparing to attack." Amir's tone was teasing but his words had been carefully chosen to push her buttons.
Yvette tensed but didn't respond as he stepped next to her at the metal banister. He leaned on the railing, mimicking her posture, "How are you doing?"
Yvette shot him a look.
"Sorry, dumb question," Amir sighed, "I can only imagine."
"I always knew there was a chance I would die on the job. And I accepted that likelihood each time I went undercover. But having my family threatened…I feel so helpless." she trailed off.
They were silent a moment. Amir watched her, "Did you really think we were here to kill you?
"Yes. Don't think I even considered that you were lied to about what was happening."
"It's not exactly what I want to admit, but yeah, we were duped by Hampton." Amir glanced around before looking at her, "Even our boss was fooled, and that rarely happens."
"He worked ops for a long time. He's good."
"Did you ever work with him?"
Yvette blinked, "That's a very obvious dig for information; you are losing your subtle skills."
"Oh really?" He nudged her with his shoulder, "You mean you aren't just going to start blurting out everything that happened to you since we last met?"
Yvette had to laugh. Amir saw her relax a bit and took a chance, leaning toward her, resting his head against hers. She closed her eyes but didn't pull away from him.
"Let us help you find your family." He whispered. Amir felt her internal struggle as he continued, "Why is Hampton after you? We can help find your sister and niece if you tell us what's going on." His voice was soft. Would she finally admit why this was happening? But even if she said something, would it be the truth?
"Hampton sent you here and he is the one who kidnapped my family." Yvette pointed out.
"We didn't know." He responded.
"I thought you were a terrorist."
"And you were sleeping with me." Amir reminded.
"I did admit that I planned on killing you!" She took a deep breath as she pulled away. Amir felt her resolve and knew she wasn't going to yield.
"Even without permission?" He wondered.
"I am not the naive, sheltered woman you apparently think I am. I have been groomed for intelligence work my entire life. You let a murder happen in front of you in Africa—killing you would not have been a problem." Yvette rubbed her face with her hands, "The issue I struggled with was…would I get away with it or would Rakin kill me?"
Amir watched the woman. He had seen glimpses of vulnerability through the hours but he wondered if it was an act. She wants her family back but at what cost? The lives of 5 American agents?
"How did you meet Zafer?" Amir asked a question that had been bugging him.
"Who?" Yvette straightened up and faced him.
"The guy who said he was your uncle."
"He came to us. He wanted a better life for his grandchildren."
Guilt made Amir look away. Years ago, he thought it was a good decision to stay in Rakin's good graces but as time wore on, his actions had done nothing to dissuade the members from committing to their martyrdom plans.
His undercover job ended when a cell member had blown up a suicide vest in a crowded location. Seventeen people died. Amir was pulled out as soon as Hampton had found out it was his ISIS group responsible. He had tried to keep track of members of the group but most had disappeared.
Preach poked his head out, "You both are needed us downstairs."
Amir and Yvette entered the house and headed to the room. The American's were gathered around the computer.
Noah was on the screen alone.
"We are all here." Dalton let him know.
"A body was recovered." Noah's voice was quiet. Yvette instantly knew what was coming. Surrounded by foreign agents, she steeled herself for the bad news.
"Yvette, we are positive the body is your sister Jennifer." Noah admitted.
She moved away from the group, cleverly hiding her face without being entirely obvious. "How sure are you?" Her voice was strong but it was forced, Amir noted.
"98.2 percent familial match to Yvette's."
She turned around, "Where did you get my DNA?"
"You were part of a joint US-French Military op in 2006."
Yvette paced, thinking back to that time, "Iraq translation job, also when I met Dalton. I did give my DNA."
"Sounds like you worked with the Americans a lot." McG pointed out.
"True…but I don't exactly LIKE working for the US." Yvette snapped back. She turned to the technician, "You are positive about it being Jennifer?"
"Yes. There was a witness and we found a security camera with video of the death and the body matches the injuries in the video."
"Security video? From where?" Joseph wondered.
"Turkey."
Yvette raised her eyebrows, "Incirlik?"
"Yes."
"Please don't tell me it was the military base!" Dalton's eyes widened.
"Still analyzing," Noah stalled.
"Of course, that's another reason he needed your team sent here." Yvette realized as she turned away.
"I am so sorry Yvette." Preach told her.
Her face was a blank slate to all watching but inside her heart was breaking. Her sister…was gone.
"I want her body sent here." Yvette concentrated on controlling her tone.
"Hannah's working on that."
"But isn't there an investigation?" Preach wondered.
"I don't care, I want her here." She fought the desire to cry and scream. Yvette closed her eyes, resisting the wave of despair but it was winning. A tear trickled down her face. She turned away from the team and strode quickly out of the room.
Amir didn't even hesitate as he went after her. He followed her in the foyer of the home as she paced aimlessly. She saw him when she turned and grimaced, "Go away Amir."
He reached for her, "Yvette I am so sorry."
Yvette tried to push him away, "Leave me alone."
But he ignored her and wrapped her in a hug. Her sobs burst out as he held her to his chest.
"I am so sorry." Amir's words made her cry harder and she clung to him.
Amir remembered the first time he had held her. It was just moments after Zafer was shot. She was inconsolable and he had to carry her inside as others took care of the dead man. He had tried to calm her down. "Allah had need of him."
Yvette had tried to pushed him away like she was doing now but he had wanted to be sure she was ok. He had taken her to her room, "Try to sleep."
"I can't." She argued.
"Yes, you can." His hands had pushed her to the bed, "You need to rest." She had stopped resisting and dropped to the floor as he recommended.
In Africa, Amir had knelt next to the bed to pick up a blanket. He spread it over her as their eyes met. Without thinking, he had reached for her face. She was surprised at the touch but maintained eye contact as he gently stroked her cheek and chin.
"I'm sorry for your loss." Amir had stood to leave.
"Thank you." Later than night, Yvette had come to his room. Amir thought then that she was reacting emotionally but had let her stay in his arms. That was the start of their affair.
"I had no idea he would target my sister." Yvette's sobbed words snapped Amir out of his memories, "I would have security on her if I even suspected that!"
"It's not your fault." Amir assured her.
"Then whose fault is it? If I hadn't…hadn't been me, he would have left them alone."
"You were doing what you thought was right."
"And they paid the price." Yvette jerked away and Amir let her go.
"I never talked about family and somehow an American operative found them." Yvette sent a text before looking back at him, "Hampton kidnapped two people close to me; I knew the odds of both of them surviving were basically nonexistent. But that doesn't make her death any easier."
"If I knew something that would help you, I would do it."
"I know." Her eyes met his as she stopped moving, "You are a good man. I knew that in Africa too."
"What are we going to do?" Dalton asked Noah when Yvette rushed out at the news.
"Patricia tried to talk to French Intelligence but it didn't exactly go well." Noah focused on the unit leader, "There was lots of yelling about espionage and treason. You are going to need to be ready to leave at a moment's notice."
"Have you heard something?" Jaz wanted to know.
"They appear to be stonewalling us." Noah admitted.
"Which makes sense considering an American did kidnap—and kill a French citizen." Hannah noted.
"And what does that mean for us?" Preach worried.
"They could retaliate as you are in Paris but with open communications Patricia is hopeful." Noah told them.
"So we are supposed to just hang around?" McGuire wondered.
Yvette came back in to the room. Jaz stood up, watching the other woman.
"This definitely changes things Dalton." Noah started when he saw Yvette.
"Hampton has shown what he is capable of but I don't think he can't predict what I am willing to do now." Yvette interrupted.
"Do we want to know?" McG muttered under his breath. Jaz heard his warning and also felt uneasy.
"What does that mean?" Noah wondered about Yvette's words.
"Hampton's daughter is in Paris and I'm supposed to think that is an accident?" She crossed her arms.
"Leave her alone." Dalton warned, his posture snapping to attention to confront her.
"Don't tell me what to do." Yvette watched his actions closely. Would Dalton cross a line?
"Where's Patricia?" Preach turned to Noah.
"Arguing with the CIA to hand Hampton over." Noah reported.
Yvette shook her head sadly, "I am a foreign agent; the CIA will believe Hampton is working a case that Patricia is not read into and stall her."
"Maybe not, here she comes." Hannah chimed in as she watched her boss walk into the room.
"What is the plan?" Patricia came into the camera view and addressed the French operative.
"The only thing that Hampton had in his favor is that my family wasn't hurt but that is now gone." She took a breath, "I have to inform my bosses."
"And what will your boss do?" Preach prodded.
She hesitated. "Make me back off." Her fingers dialed the phone as she left the room.
"Dalton," Patricia addressed the leader, "She'll get even more unpredictable now and you need to watch your back."
"Absolutely." Dalton responded.
"What we can prove she's done is only a fraction of what she's been accused of." Patricia told her team leader.
"But she has worked with the US before." Jaz reminded.
"Yes. But we don't really trust her. We are confident she is a French spy. And the CIA suspects she is an assassin so don't underestimate her."
"Assassin." Dalton's chest constricted. He might have willingly walked his team into an ambush.
Patricia tried to be encouraging, "We'll get you out as soon as we can."
"That might not be soon enough."
