Jaye reached into her pocket and clicked the pen twice when she heard the transport take off. She remained in her position for another ten minutes before she got slowly to her feet. Brushing herself off, she heard a twig crack and froze.
"I'd know you anywhere," whispered a voice in her ear. She felt a gun at her back. "Do you think you'd escape that easily?" He brushed his lips across the back of her neck. "Ali, come with me. It isn't a chance encounter, you know that."
She sighed and let her body go limp. Knowing that he was familiar with all her MI-6 attacks, she tried one of the ninja moves Snake Eyes had taught her, which soon had him on his back, her on top, the gun flung from his hand.
She studied her former partner. She wouldn't have recognized him. "What happened to you?" she asked sadly, tracing the dark spots around his eyes.
"Genetic mutation. Now I can literally blend into any situation or object. Side effect," he said breathlessly.
She eyed the gun lying nearby and sensed that he knew what her next move was. They lunged for it at the same time. A shot made both of them freeze.
Flint stood there staring at the two. He had witnessed her throwing him, but he was confused at her hesitation and conversation with him. While he couldn't hear anything, it was almost as if she knew him. However, she was one of his soldiers, and it was his duty to make sure she came back in one piece. Flint leveled his gun at the man and told him to stand.
Lady Jaye stood there, torn. She hadn't anticipated on Flint being this close, answering her call this quickly. She wanted to help her former partner desperately, to bring him back, but knew that her sense of duty would win out. She stepped to the side so that Flint had a clear shot at him. She put her faith that Flint wouldn't shoot and ask questions later, that Scarlett's assessment of him as a professional was true.
Her former partner smiled as he looked from Flint to Lady Jaye.
"Who are you?" demanded Flint. "Identify yourself!"
"With pleasure," he murmured. Bowing to Lady Jaye, he said simply, "I am Zartan." With that, he literally faded from their eyes.
"What the hell?" Flint barked, blinking and looking at the spot where Zartan had been standing seconds before.
"Genetic mutation," murmured Lady Jaye. Putting her hand on Flint's arm to get his attention, she said, "Let's get out of here. He's gone."
Flint nodded, still puzzled. As they walked to where Flint had hidden his vehicle, Jaye turned around and murmured something in Gaelic.
"What was that? It sounded pretty." Flint asked. He noted the pale look of his partner. "Are you okay?"
"I will be," she sighed. "Let's get out of here."
Zartan watched from the shadows. His heart went out to his former partner, now his adversary, and he echoed her words in English. "Until we meet again, my love."