4

Enter Seth Brooks

"Director Williams." A Third Echelon agent by the name of Elton Brown called as he entered Director William's office. "A photo uplink from Irish ERU just came through from a terrorist raid they just performed. You might wanna see the photos." Williams stood up and followed the agent out of the office.

A minute later they were at the Elton's desk looking at a series of pictures that were linked from ERU to NSA. Williams pointed at one of the pictures and said,

"Who's this guy?"

"Desmond McCray. Former INLA. Was suspected to take part in the Billy Wright assassination. Was opposed to the Ceasefire in 98 that he continued his radical actions until 99 when he went underground. He disappeared for a little less then a decade then appeared back a few months ago in Dublin attempting to detonate an explosive in the Custom House that would have leveled the entire house. The attempt was foiled by an ERU operation that was covered up by the government to prevent fear of the INLA 's return in the people Ireland's minds. Desmond disappeared and hasn't turned up until now." Agent Brown read from Desmond's profile. "But that's not the worst part about it Mr. Williams." Brown went up and clicked on another picture.

Up on the screen was Sam Fisher's picture.

"What the hell is Fisher doing in Ireland?" Williams said to himself. He then looked to Brown and said,

"Get me the head of the ERU unit holding Fisher on the phone in my office now."

Sam was sat up against the wall and was stripped of his mask. An ERU officer went to each terrorist and took a picture of him, which included Sam. Desmond was taken into a separate room behind closed doors.

There were three officers watching all the terrorists lined up on the wall. Sam was sitting right next to Cooney who had a large bruise on his forehead and knocked out cold. They had taken Sam's weapons and all his other gadgets were back in his bag upstairs. They probably were already checking that.

Suddenly an ERU officer ran into the room. He was carrying a satellite phone and had a silenced SMG dangling at his torso by a strap. He ran to the door where they had isolated Desmond. He didn't bother knocking he simply opened the door. Sam got a glimpse of the inside of that room. Desmond was behind a table, handcuffed to a chair. He had a black eye, Sam wasn't sure if that was from the interrogation or the initial assault into the house. The leader of the ERU was in there interrogating Desmond when the ERU agent came in and handed him the satellite phone. The agent grabbed the phone and talked on it for a while. Then he looked straight at Sam. Sam wasn't sure if they were talking about him or if watching him on the phone wasn't allowed or something. The agent nodded and kept his gaze on Sam. Now Sam knew that he was talking about him.

The agent finally hung up the phone and stood there for a moment. He was thinking something up. He then said a few words to the agent who brought the phone. He then walked out of the room with the other agent and closed the door. The other agent rushed off somewhere else and the head agent started walking toward Sam. Sam's heart started to race when suddenly he felt something attached to the back of his waist. It was his knife. The ERU hadn't taken it off him. Sam waited. He knew revealing it now would only get him killed. The ERU agent in charge came up to him and said,

"Sam Fisher?" Sam looked at him with a hard glance but he didn't say anything. The Agent had a thick cockney accent that even a child could point out.

"I'd like to have a word with you." When Sam didn't move the agent grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up. He walked him toward the staircase up to the room Sam had first woken up in a little over an hour ago. They entered the room and the agent put Sam in a chair behind a table like he had done with Desmond then told every ERU agent in the room to leave.

"So your Sam Fisher." The agent said pulling up a chair backwards and straddling it in front of Sam. "My names Paul."

Sam didn't respond. He just looked solemnly at Agent Paul. He didn't plan on saying anything.

"I've read your file Fisher. Seems like you served your country damn well. Navy Seals, Bloody CIA. Impressive record but it was under wraps. Seems like you or some one else doesn't want us or some one else to know your record." Sam looked at Paul. It was like he knew he wasn't really on Desmond's side.

"Listen Fisher. I know our chances of holding onto Desmond for a long time are pretty slim. Now some guy by the name of Williams wants you back in a chopper and heading stateside in the next fifteen minutes but I think you can serve a better purpose. But you gotta tell the truth. Are you truly with Desmond?"

Fisher kept his dead stare but in his mind he was torn. Should he trust this guy? His choices were slim. Either work with this man in bringing Desmond down with slim chances of success, or go back to the states and face Williams. Sam finally made up his mind and leaned closer.

"How do we wanna do this?" a smile slipped onto Paul's face and he leaned closer.

"My men have already seen Desmond's reinforcements on their way. It's too much for us to handle and they're too close for us to get out of here. I've already told some of my men to get out of here. You've got your knife. I'm gonna unlock your cuffs then you need to get down there and escape with Desmond and the rest of the group. I'd appreciate it if you would put minimal casualties on my men but the ones who have stayed know what they are getting into."

"Why are you putting all your trust in me?" Sam asked.

"To tell the truth Fisher. It's mostly instinct. But if I don't my men will die anyway. This way we have a chance of actually putting Desmond in the ground or in a cell." Paul said standing up and walking behind Sam. He pulled out a key and unlocked the cuffs on Sam's wrists. Sam jumped from the chair and pulled out his knife. He then put it to Paul's neck.

Paul was a little surprised but then he knew what Sam was doing.

"You ready?" Sam said. Paul took a deep breath and nodded.

"Let's go." Sam walked forward with his knife still at Paul's neck. They opened the door where a guard was.

"Back off, I'll kill him!" Sam yelled to the guard who had already raised his weapon. The guard kept his weapon up but backed off.

"I want Desmond released and brought up to this room!" The guard didn't move. Sam pressed the knife closer to Paul's neck.

"Do it!" Sam yelled backing him and Paul back into the room. He closed the door and released Paul.

"That was good." Paul said. He reached for his holster and pulled out a USP pistol. "Take this. It'll protect you better than the knife." Sam still didn't quite understand the risk Paul was putting himself at but he grabbed the pistol and checked the ammo. Suddenly there was a knocked at the door. Sam quickly grabbed Paul and put the USP to his right temple.

"Open the door!" Sam called to the people behind the door. The door opened and Sam quickly covered his eyes just incase they intended to use another flash bang grenade. But there was no flash and no bang.

"Send him in!" Sam yelled. Then through the door came Desmond. Sam nodded and said, "Close the door." Desmond did so then said,

"Well done Fisher. Really I didn't think you could do it but well done. Got this bastard." Desmond said pointing at Paul. Sam pushed Paul forward and pointed the pistol at him.

"Take a seat." He said to Paul in character. Paul was on his way to doing that when Desmond quickly threw a punch right at Paul's face. Paul took the blow and collapsed to the floor.

"How does it feel?" Desmond said as he started to kick Paul. Sam kept a hard face.

Once Desmond was satisfied for the moment he pushed Paul toward the chair where Sam had been sitting.

"So what do we do Fisher? What's the escape plan?" Desmond asked whipping Paul's blood off his fist.

"You guys are coming soon. We just need to wait till they arrive then we'll get out of here."

"Desmond!" a voice called from behind the door. Sam quickly rushed behind Paul and put the pistol to his head.

Desmond walked to the door and yelled back,

"What?"

"I'm just here to talk. Can I come in there? I am unarmed." The voice said back. There was an Irish accent in the voice.

"You better be or else Paulie boy over here gets a bullet in his head from my buddy Fisher." Sam stood behind Paul silently as the door opened and a bald man walked through.

"You're the negotiator?" Desmond said. The man nodded. He was in a suit and didn't really look like a cop except for his empty shoulder holster. Desmond quickly searched the man. The man looked at Sam and Paul.

"Why don't you put that down? I'm no threat to you so there is no reason for those kind of measures." Sam didn't put the pistol down.

"What have you got to offer?" Sam said totally in character. The man was about to answer but Desmond interrupted.

"You know what. We don't need his negotiation shit here." Desmond said taking control. He looked to the man and said, "Listen buddy. You go out there and tell whoever took Paulie here's job that my boys are coming to pull my ass out of here and if they don't split they're all gonna be pulled out of here in body bags."

"If your friends are coming then you don't need Agent Paul here." Desmond laughed for a few seconds then threw a punch to the negotiator's stomach. He groaned in pain but it was muffled by Desmond's hand over his mouth.

"That wasn't part of the deal buddy. Now you go out there and tell your boys to hightail it out of here or else Paulie here isn't gonna be the only one with a bullet in his head." Desmond threatened then opened the door and pushed the man out. They didn't even catch his name.

Williams was back on the phone calling the satellite phone he had called just over fifteen minutes ago. The ERU agents had probably already processed Fisher and sent him on his way to the US.

"Yes?" a voice that wasn't the special agent in charge, Paul McDowell.

"Who is this? Where's Agent McDowell."

"Uh Its actually not a good time for agent McDowell to answer right now." The voice that answered said. He was already getting on William's nerves.

"Why?"

"There's been a situation and now Agent McDowell is a hostage." The voice said.

"Listen, that situation is secondary. I need Sam Fisher on a plane to the US in the next ten minutes."

"That's just it sir. Sam Fisher is the hostage taker." Williams cursed Sam's name and hung the phone up. He thought for a moment then got his idea. He reached over and clicked the intercom on his phone.

"Agent Brown." He called. A split second of silence passed and then Brown's voice answered.

"Yes Mr. Williams?"

"Get Seth Brooks in my office immediately." Brown didn't respond at first but he soon answered,

"Yes sir but it'll take me a few…"

"Brown, Just get him on the phone for a start." Williams said clicking the intercom off. He then accessed his computer and opened some restricted files. He put his pass code in and the files were opened. He typed the name Seth Brooks in and after a few moments of loading, a profile came up.

Seth Brooks

Classified File

Splinter Cell Project

"Desmond!" a voice called again from behind the door. Desmond looked at Sam annoyed. He walked up to Sam, grabbed the USP he was carrying and fired two shots at the door.

"I told you I wasn't doing any negotiation until my boys come!" Sam guessed the bullets either didn't pass through the door or they missed the negotiator but to make sure Desmond didn't do that again Sam grabbed the pistol.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sam whispered. "Do you wanna get shot before the reinforcements come?" Desmond looked at Sam suddenly very angrily.

"How do you know these "reinforcements" are coming at all? We're just listening to this prick?"

"They're coming."

"They better or else Paulie here will have no purpose to us." Sam looked at Paul. He suddenly saw fear on his face. Maybe he was just now realizing what he was got himself into.

Suddenly there was a gunshot from downstairs. Sam lifted the pistol toward the door. More fire spread through the lower level until there was an uneasy silence.

"Give me the gun." Desmond said. Sam was hesitant but he handed the gun over to Desmond. Desmond slowly walked to the door and opened it. Before he walked through he looked back at Sam and said,

"Just stay here." After that Desmond walked through the door and disappeared.

"We need to get you out of here." Sam said once Desmond disappeared pulling Paul to his feet.

"I don't know Fisher." Paul said. His cockney voice was quivering.

"That's reinforcements right there. If Desmond comes back, he's going to kill you. You need to get out of here." But just as Sam finished the sentence Desmond came back into the room.

"It's Crow and his men. The ERU team is dead but we better get out of here before more come thinking they're gonna help these bastards." Sam didn't say anything about Paul hoping that Desmond would just forget about him. But Desmond looked straight at Paul.

Within a second he lifted the USP and pulled the trigger.

"No!" Sam yelled but no sound came out of his mouth. It wouldn't have made a difference.

The bullet went straight to the head. Blood splattered onto the floor behind Paul as he collapsed to the floor.

"Let's go Fisher. Your gear is all downstairs." Desmond said throwing the pistol to the floor.

Sam wasn't surprised from Paul's fate. He knew it would happen if Paul had stayed and Paul probably knew what he was doing would get him killed. He crouched down by the body and slowly closed Paul's eyelids.

Sam stood up and walked out of the room. He quickly caught up to Desmond as they came down to the main level once again. The terrorists were pilling the bodies of the dead ERU agents in one corner of the room. There were more of them and one man Sam recognized. The man in the Fedora who had the Remington shotgun was standing the center of the room. Desmond walked up to him and started to speak with him,

"Just in time Crow. Let's get the hardware packed up and get out of here."

"Where are we going?" Sam asked. Desmond looked at Sam and said,

"We're gonna get that vault open Fisher. It's out in Mexico. Listen Fisher." Desmond pulled Sam to the side and spoke to him in private.

"You really saved us there. If you hadn't take Paulie up there hostage, things would have played out much differently. I was a little skeptical when we first met but know I realize why you were so close with Emile. I could use your skills for my organization." Desmond put out his hand intending for Sam to shake it as a sign that he was on board with joining Desmond's organization.

Sam knew he had said he didn't want to be involved with anything here but now that he had Desmond's trust he could possibly unwrap some more secrets. He thought for a few moments then took Desmond's hand.

"I suppose I could stick around for a little longer." Desmond smiled and patted Sam on the shoulder. Cooney came from behind Desmond and brought Sam's bag.

"This is a pretty advance equipment you got here Fisher. Where'd you get this stuff?" Desmond asked grabbing the bag and looking at items like the SC-20K and Sam's night vision goggles. Sam could tell that although Desmond was grateful to Sam, he still didn't quite fully trust him. He was still testing him. But Sam was quick to answer.

"I picked it up from the armory at the JBA Headquarters the night it was raided." It was actually true. The JBA had a pretty advanced armory and Sam had picked up the SC and the goggles that night. What he left out was the fact that he used it to kill some of the JBA members."

"I always knew Emile had a good taste in weaponry. Well I suggest you get that packed up in your car. You'll ride with me. The Mercedes as you yanks call it."

Seth Brooks was taking pictures of Parliament and other tourist locations in London when suddenly his cell phone rang. It was his Third Echelon phone. Seth brushed his long black hair out of his eyes and grabbed the cell phone from his messenger bag that was next to his five-seveN pistol. He put the cell phone to his ear and clicked the on button.

He didn't even say a word and there was someone on the other line. William's voice appeared on the other end of the call.

"Hello Seth. Is this line secure?"

"It always is." Seth answered.

"Good. We have a situation in Dublin that you could help us with. Sam Fisher has surfaced again."

"Fisher?" Seth said surprised. Sam Fisher had once been a legend in Seth's mind. That was a long time ago when he first joined Third Echelon.

"Yes. He's working with a known terrorist named Desmond McCray. McCray is not especially important. Fisher is the primary target. Take him out and any collateral on McCray's men will be a bonus. But do it quietly." Williams briefed quickly.

"That's my job isn't it?" Seth said smartly. Williams ignored the comment and finished.

"An osprey will be waiting for you at the location I'm sending you. Find Sam Fisher and eliminate him."