Chapter7- where there's a Will…
When you are an agent, you know there will come a day when you have to make a hard choice. This was that day. The sky had that beautiful blueness with just a few white fluffy clouds scattering across, there was barely a wind. It was the perfect day to lie back and relax. Instead he was running with his breath sucking out in short gasps as he got to the end of his endurance. It was time to stop. Slowing down, he turned to wait for the men behind him to come into got out his line of sight. He raised his gun and aimed it toward the rise in the clifftop, they'd come up any minute now. There were only two bullets left so he'd have to be very accurate. Of course since there were 5 men, his bullet would only have limited effectiveness. But he only needed them to buy him some time.
"Saturn, where are you", Ethan's question came through his earpiece. It was a code name that Hunt just loved to use for some reason he could not understand. Even though he was in mortal danger Will had felt a smile forming as he replied, "Uranus, I am in position on the clifftop with 5 hostiles on my trail".
"What, Will no", Ethan did not usually make the mistake of using his name , it spoke of how flustered that comment had made him feel. "This is our backup plan Uranus, now see it through", Will demanded.
"No", it had been truly incredible, that well trained super spy Ethan Hunt had just uttered that word. This was not the time or place for sentiment, "do it ", Will shouted. He saw a shadow appear on the rise of the cliff and knew he was about to get visitors. Running was out of the question, because the cliff ended abruptly a few feet away, with jaggered rocks and the sea below. One of the men came up the rise into his line of sight. "Do it now", Will screamed.
"So I did", Ethan told the man beside him. He believed this man was Will's identical twin, even though he had never heard of him. Nobody would make up a story like that. Plus it fitted with the facts as well as the Will,not Will feelings that had risen up from the first moment they'd met.
Now the two of them had stopped hitting each other and told each other their names Ethan was giving Clint the details of what had happened to Will. He did not care that it was classified and that meant you did not share even with a relative or another agent. Telling the truth was helping him deal with the emotions he'd tried to hard to keep back. Ethan did not keep the tremor from his voice or stop his hands shaking. He let the other man see how affected he had been.
"The 5 men were all part of a terrorist squad that was using a cliff top home in a remote place in Hawaii as a weapons cache as well as a base to use the internet to recruit followers from all around the world". "It was always our plan to destroy the home and the weapons with it, but not..",Ethan paused and rubbed his eyes. Clint could see the tears. Without thinking about it he placed one hand on the other man's arm, softly. Ethan did not shake the hand off , this man should be hitting him again not comforting him. It was his fault after that Will was lost. He cleared his painfully dry throat and managed to croak out the rest of the story. "We imbedded a new type of explosive device within a certain part of the cliff face. Setting off those charges would bring down the cliff and take the home with it. I just never intended Will to be standing on the cliff at the time I detonated."
He swallowed a few times and shook off the sensation to just break down and sob. He'd held it together so far even though he knew the cracks were showing. "The mission had gone wrong and we had not being able to eliminate the men . They were about to fly out to an unknown destination and continue their operation from there. "So Will ignored my orders and grabbed the briefcase where they kept a device listing all their contacts. They went after him to get it back. He led them to the clifftop and told me to detonate." I did not want to do it", Ethan whispered. Clint felt his own tears welling up as he saw the man beside him struggle with the decision he'd had to make. Silence fell between them, as both of them thought of Will.
Director Fury had also fallen silent as he reflected on the unfair turn of events. Clint was going to need even more therapy. He had to get him back first though. "I'll arrange a transport to come and retrieve my agent". He told Director Martin. Martin crossed his arms, "your agent was impersonating one of mine Director Fury. I should be able to deal with him how I want". In truth Martin was feeling very embarrassed that Clint Barton had managed pull off the impersonation and get into the heart of an IMF base. He'd have some explaining to do to the Secretary when he found out. So he was not inclined to just let Clint Barton walk back out . He thought about Hunt in the interview room with Clint and decided not to mention how he was dealing with the SHIELD agent.
"He was not there to steal all your secrets Director" , Fury countered, "all he wanted was information on his brother." "Yeah well telling us the truth was a better way to achieve that", Martin stated. Fury admitted to himself that yes that was the better way if Will had been a normal person. But he was an agent as well and Fury knew that changed a few things. "All you would have given him was the standard, "your brother died in the service of his country line", Clint deserved more than that." He has done no real harm director", Fury remarked.
It was at that point though Benji Dunn decided to add a little something into the mix and made sure they could both hear the sounds of fighting coming from room C. Benji had no idea where Director Martin was right now or who he was talking to, all he did know was that it seemed that Ethan was getting his ass kicked in a major way. "Sir", he stated in a voice that wavered a little," Agent Hunt and the imposter are getting very physical. It sounds like he may need some backup".
Fury did not like the sound of that. "Just call him off, tell him I order him to stand down", he told Martin. "Then you do the same to your agent".Director Martin was confident that Agent Hunt could handle the imposter, possibly he was just letting him think he had the upper hand. He had not intended to sound smug but it came out that way anyway.
"My agent is highly trained and yours is injured I daresay he will regret ever pulling off the impersonation". Fury felt a moment of anxiety rise up, "Clint is injured, how did that happen".
"Martin shrugged," that was not down to us director, we found him like that", he replied. "He is with my most senior field operative who is still recovering from the loss of his team mate. He does not take kindly to anyone trying to take his place. " I can understand exactly how he feels", Martin told Fury.
Okay they were all a little sensitive Fury decided. They needed to get over it. A splash in the face with a bucket of cold water usually does the trick. In this case the cold water was a little piece of information. "Your Agent is not just dealing with any agent he is with one of the Avengers, Hawkeye", he stated. That made Director Martin have a few doubts. Then after the doubts came a few possibilities, like keeping the Agent himself and having him pretend to be Will Brandt. Fury saw that moment in the other mans eyes and made sure he put on his best no nonsense tone. "I demand", Fury put heavy emphasis on the word," that you call them off ,then return my agent", he stated. "We do not need any trouble between agencies Director, there is enough fighting with our enemies".
That was true, though Martin still felt uncharitable. Fury tapped his fingers louder as the delay stretched onward, "perhaps I better call your secretary and speak with him", Fury stated. So now he was playing hardball Martin thought. He knew though that the secretary would not want trouble with SHIELD. Gosh how he hated losing this battle. "Alright director, you win", he conceded.
"I didn't think it was a fight", Fury muttered. Martin was about to make orders of his own when Agent Dunn informed him, "sir it has now gone totally quiet in the room". "Very well, I shall override lockdown and well go and see what has happened. ' He looked over at Fury," I'll send your agent back ASAP director", he stated.
Benji, Jane and Luther all joined Director Martin in hurrying down the corridor to interview room C. "That guy was spouting a lot of rubbish about being Will's identical twin", Benji told the director as they ran. It had been the most unique conversation he had ever heard. Nobody had ever made up a story that good before. "It is true", came the rather stunning reply from the man in front of them.
"Wow", Benji declared. That word really didn't describe the situation but it was enough for now.
The director tapped his code into the door lock and hoped he was not about to find two unconscious agents or worse one dead SHIELD agent. That would be very hard to explain. When the door swung open he stood there stunned at what he did see.
"Where are they", Benji remarked as he stared into the very empty room. Martin grumbled as he checked the memory centre on the door lock. "Hunt used his emergency code to override the door locks", he stated. He ground his teeth as more information came onto the screen of the computer in room C. "It looks like he has taken Clint Barton and left the building. I have no idea what has gotten into him".
Martin's feelings of getting back at the SHIELD agent had faded . Now nerves were taking their place as he realized he now would have to say he'd lost their agent.
Now Benji knew that the impostor had been speaking the truth he had a fair idea of where Ethan would take him. "I dearsay Ethan had taken him to the clifftop Director. So he can see for himself exactly what happened."
Dunn had just saved him from a second embarrassing situation. He would give SHIELD the location and let them retrieve their agent .
xxxxx
"It's up this way, Ethan told Clint. He had flown with the other man in a helicopter to as close to the clifftop as they dared go. Now they stood together on the rise about to visit a scene of devastation. Ethan knew Clint would get a shock as they stepped over the rise of the hill. He found his hand touching the other mans arm lightly.
All Clint could see was the evidence of some horrible disaster. Where a solid cliff edge would have been there was now a gaping ragged hole. Pieces of masonry wood and fragments of glass, littered the ground around their feet. It looked like the aftermath of a tornado. Walking through the pieces of house scattered around them Clint ventured close to the cliff edge and looked down. The rest of the house lay there shattered and broken into many pieces.
He stood in silence staring at the devastation and trying not to think of how broken Will could have ended up .It took him three tries of clearing his throat before he could finally speak. "I can see why your agency thinks Will is dead', he croaked. He found himself studying Ethan Hunt in an intense manner for a few seconds. "From how you have behaved throughout my impersonation of Will I can sense that you feel differently", Clint remarked. He had this small spark of hope within him and did not want Ethan to snub it out. "We did not find Will's.., Ethan broke off for a second not wanting to refer to the painful details.. ' Clint understood and told him gently ,"You can say the word body, you know". "Yeah", Ethan sighed. "We did find what was left of 3 of the hostiles. I have been to this place every day since it happened searching for any signs of Will and found nothing". Clint I want to believe he is still alive but…",Ethan just gestured at the surroundings to make his point that he did not know if it was possible.
Clint did not know either but he was determined to find out. "How long did he have from the moment the hostiles were closing in until you detonated", he asked Ethan. "A matter of minutes Clint, he would have been trapped up here, with nowhere to go. He was almost out of ammunition as well"." Running was never in Will's mind, if he was making the sacrifice play then he would have made sure he took them with him", Ethan told him sadly. "Yet you still hope Ethan. Will must be something special indeed for you to not just accept your agencies view and return to your base", Clint remarked. He knew how things stood if you lost an agent in the field. You were expected to move on fairly quickly . Danger and death were a regular part of each mission and you could not outrun death forever.
Ethan rubbed his eyes. "Will was, is, an annoying pain in the ass," he smiled when he said that. "He has challenged me more than any agent I have had as part of my team. Yet I find that I don't mind the challenge, Will would walk through fire to save me. He has become like a little brother to me". Ethan found the smile forming again. " He would not want to die", he concluded.
Clint nodded, he knew he would not have wanted to die either. So what would he do if he was in Will's place. It only took him a few seconds to realize Will only had one choice. "There is one way to escape", he told Ethan. Ethan followed his gaze and found that lump in his throat again. "I don't know if Will could do it", he told Clint.
"Not even to save his life",Clint bandied back. Ethan considered that then nodded, "he might have made that choice",he stated. "Then we need to make that choice as well", Clint told him."We both know that agencies will not spend resources or money searching for an agent if it is highly probable they are dead".
"Even if we could convince them that survival was possible they'd still muck about talking for ages before they took any action. If Will is still alive then we have to act now". Clint turned to Ethan, "I will do it alone if I have to, but I think you may be the type of person I can depend upon to take a crazy risk. "So Ethan Hunt will you do it".
Ethan did not even have to think to know what he was going to say. He had too had a burning passion to find out one way or another if Will was dead. Maybe the method Clint had suggested would not have been his first option but hell why not. "Yes", he told Clint.
Getting out his phone Ethan made a quick call to Benji. "Ethan are you alright", was the first typical question Benji asked. Ethan did not mention the numerous bruises he sustained in the fight with Clint. "I am fine Benji, he stated. "Clint Barton is here with me and well we have decided to look for Will".
Back at the IMF base Benji found himself feeling confused, "you have been looking for two days now Ethan. There has been no sign of him, he replied. "Well I am trying a new method of searching", Ethan took a breath, he knew exactly what Benji's reaction was going to be as he told him the plan. "Are you frigging out of your mind", Benji stormed. "Yes, Ethan stated as he hung up.
"Do you want to call anyone", Ethan asked as he held the phone out to Clint. Clint knew exactly who to call. "Tash it's me", he said seconds later when Natasha Romonoff answered. "Clint, we know what's been happening", came Natasha's reply. He was not surprised that SHIELD and IMF had been talking. "I am sorry about what happened to Will", Natasha continued. "I am not sure he is dead Natasha", Clint interrupted her. "That is why I am calling to tell you I am going to look for him".
"Look for him, Clint I don't understand. IMF tells us they did not find his body but after what happened", she paused. "I know it is hard to accept Clint but there is no way he would survive that", Natasha said as gently as possible. "There is one way Tash and I am going to follow his path", Clint told hung up seconds later when Natasha swore at him down the phone.
"You really want to do this", Ethan asked as he looked over at Clint. "You are not in full functioning capacity. Neither of us want to get injured or die, that would not help Will".
Clint just nodded and held Ethan's gaze. "I won't think less of you if you back out", he stated."No, I am not backing out", Ethan told him firmly. He had just wanted to test Clint's resolve or maybe your own Hunt ,his mind threw back at him.
"Then lets do it", Clint stated. "On three". Clint took a steadying breath "one, two", another breath, "three". Side by side Ethan Hunt and Clint Barton mirrored the last action they believed William Brandt had taken. They ran faster than they had before imagining that 5 armed gun man were behind them. As the cliff edge loomed up they did not stop. Seconds later they were suspended in the air before finally plummeting down towards the sea below.
Xxxxx
Will Brandt 2 days ago..
It was funny that this time there had been no hesitation, Ethan had not had to scream jump, he did it all on his own. He tried hard not to think to much about what was going to happen to him just concentrating on running. Bullets screamed passed him as the men behind him tried to take him out. He held tight to their all important briefcase and ran even faster. They probably thought he was going to stop before the edge, but of course he didn't. As his feet hit air Will had that moment when life flashes before your eyes. He found he had no regrets.
The air swished around him as he fell toward the waves. His momentum meant he was not, thankfully going to plow straight into the rocks. Still he knew the sea was probably going to feel equally as hard considering the height he was falling from. Indeed pain shot through him as he hit the water. The coldness tightened his diaphragm and nearly made him whoosh out the breath he was holding. Ignoring the pain Brandt felt himself go under the water, down deep then surface like a cork out of a bottle. He hit the surface spluttering. There was barely time though to celebrate still being alive. He knew Ethan would detonate the device any time now. So he swam, ignoring the pain of each protesting muscle and concentrating on getting far away from the cliff as possible. He counted in his head and noted that it was a mere 120 seconds later that the expected detonation came.
The sound was like a massive pile up of cars on the motorway, an intense screeching of glass, steel, wood and earth. Heat bushed the back of his body as the force of the blast created a fire ball. Then came a wave as thousands of pieces of cliff and house were forced into the ocean. He dove straight down at that point trying to avoid the pieces of house and cliff that fired down upon the water like missiles. There was a lot of them though and some hit painfully into him. His chest was feeling heavier by the second as his body craved for air. His body was pushed through the sea as the momentum of the underwater wave carried him along. Tears leached from his eyes as he tried to hold on longer and keep his body submerged. It was no use though because he could not hold his breath indefinitely. He surfaced gasping as more missiles dove at him. Luckily the pieces that hit were not that large. They still caused some bleeding gashes on his arms legs and head . He tried to keep swimming outwards, avoiding the still falling debri, his body though was failing him rapidly. Spying a large piece of wood floating a short distance away Will used his last bit of energy to make it there. Then he dragged his exhausted bleeding body on top of the wood. Looking over at what was left of the cliff Will was surprised that he could barely make out the coast line. The force of the explosion and the current were carrying him further out to sea. He was simply too exhausted to even make the attempt at swimming back. Will looked out at the lonely grey sea that stung at his wounds with fierce intensity. He was alive but alone and drifting away from all help. Will felt despair fill him.
He would have felt worse had he known that a couple of hundred metres away from him two other men were clinging to a piece of house. They too were being carried out to sea. Hatred filled their hearts as they saw everything they had worked so hard to achieve explode out from under them in one firey second. Now all they had left was revenge and if they ever made it to a shore they would find someone and make them suffer.
The sharks who smelt the blood of the wounded as it drifted upon them did not think much of suffering. Hunger was all that filled their mind as they set off in pursuit.