M was clearly uneasy about the decision to have her moved to a "new" safe house as she left with her new guards. What she really wanted more than anything was to be at the exchange with Jack, but being that that was totally out of the question, she did as she was told and went quietly with Agents Connor and Booth. When they arrived the safe house was really nothing more than a small hole in the wall, near the center of town. It was a small flat with a sitting room, a bed room, a kitchen and a bath. There was really only one way in so if Mirrinov attempted anything they would see it coming. She sat at the kitchen table with the gun Jack had given her lying in front of her, praying to God that she wouldn't have to use it, while the agents busied themselves with their computers and surveillance equipment.

"Can I get you anything?" asked Agent Connor as he walked into the kitchen

"No...Thank you though" she replied as she tried to hide her obvious boredom

"Would you like to listen in?"

"I would appreciate that" she said quietly "This is still our mission even if we are using your agents at the moment"

"Come on in and we'll get you fitted with an ear piece" replied Agent Booth with a smile "This must be really important to warrant having the boss as an agent on the mission"

"You could say that" she replied dryly

"Here we go, just put this in your ear"

Once she had the earpiece in place, Agent Booth brought up the monitor so she could see what was happening at the drop point.

The rest of the agents were headed to the drop point to make the exchange for James. Jack had positioned himself close enough to keep an eye on things and yet far enough away to be able to lend assistance to either team should the need arise. As the time for the exchange drew nearer, Jack found himself repeating the instructions to his team as though they were students on a training exercise. Every member of the two teams was an experienced agent, and Jack knew this, but this mission was different. This wasn't just any agent they were rescuing and this wasn't just any woman they were protecting. These were his friends.

"Is everyone ready?" Jack asked apprehensively

"Were ready here" replied one of the agents at the drop point

"All set here" came another reply

"And how are we at the safe house?" he asked "Is M listening?"

"We're all set here, and yes we've got her set up so she can monitor the situation" replied Agent Connor

"And you've checked to be sure the perimeter is secure?"

"Geez boss...You act like we've never done this before" said Booth, rolling his eyes

"I know...Sorry. I just want to be sure. This guy isn't like our usual targets. He's a product of the cold war...long before your time, which means he's a bit old school and doesn't necessarily rely on technology like you know it all's"

M couldn't help but giggle because she knew that Jack was right. In the old days they relied on their senses and the art of deception, not technology like a GPS and computers.

"Hang in there M...It's almost over" said Jack softly

M just nodded in acknowledgement of the sentiment as she waited.

It was a little over an hour before a car pulled up, about half a city block away from the car which contained Agent Thomas, who was posing as M. As the men at the other end of the street got out M cold clearly make out James and three guards, then an older man with gray hair and a white beard got out. As the camera zoomed in for a closer look the color suddenly drained from M's face , and she had a look of absolute panic written across her face.

"Ma'am...what is it?" asked Agent Booth

"That's not him" said M in a shaky voice "Tell Jack that's not Mirrinov...tell him now!"

"Boss...We have a problem" shouted Agent Connor

"What is it" replied Jack as Agent Thomas was beginning to be escorted down the street

"M says that's not Mirrinov!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT'S NOT MIRRINOV!" shouted Jack as he had the camera zoom in on the older man "OH CHRIST!" shouted Jack as he opened the door of the van he had been hiding in and began running

"BOSS...WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" shouted one of the other agents

"TO THE SAFE HOUSE" he shouted over his shoulder " THAT'S NOT HIM. MIRRINOV IS AFTER M!"

Jack could hear his team scrambling to adjust to the newest complication as he reached the second vehicle they had planted which was nearly a block away.

Agents Connor and Booth immediately ripped of their headsets and drew their guns as M sat somewhat stunned and for the first time genuinely frightened. She had heard what Jack said, but all she could think of was James.

"Ma'am...I think it would be better if you go in the bedroom" said Agent Booth as calmly as he could

M continued to keep her eyes glued to the monitor as the exchange was about to take place.

"MA'AM...I really think you should..." Agent Booth started to say they heard a loud POP and the door just seemed to fall off its hinges and the room began to fill with the all too familiar acrid smell of the acid compound used to disintegrate the metal.

Everything seemed to happen so fast. There were multiple shots fired as M ducked behind the sofa and crawled toward the kitchen. As the shots continued M managed to make it to the table, but not before a hand reached down and firmly gripped her wrist and she was roughly pulled to her feet only to find herself staring directly at Anton Mirrinov who had managed to capture her other wrist in the process. All she could feel was complete and total anger as she lunged at him, pounding on his chest.

Things weren't going so well at the drop point either as both sides quickly discovered that M wasn't M and Mirrinov wasn't Mirrinov and the entire scene erupted in gunfire with agents from both sides scattering like insects hiding behind cars, garbage cans and anything else they could find for cover. The last thing that M or Jack heard in their earpieces was "AGENT DOWN"

TO BE CONTINUED...