A/N: Thank you to everyone who is still following the story and especially to those who leave reviews! Your reviews really help me to keep going!

Hope you enjoy this chapter as well…

Disclaimer: I still don't own them.

Chapter 18

There is a particular quality to the silence that comes after a shootout. Ethan Hunt was still alert, looking around for any movement, ready to respond in case any of the defeated opponents came back to life. He sensed, rather than saw, his teammates Jane and Brandt get closer to him.

"Shall we go inside to help Benji?" Brandt suggested, his face displaying the same alertness as his team leader's.

Ethan took a second to think.

"Someone has to stay here to deal with any possible intruders or witnesses," he reasoned. "Let's try to call him first".

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The silence was unnerving. It lasted a few seconds, and Benji found it completely unnatural. He had to swallow a thick lump that had formed in his throat and only then came the ability to hear something other than the mad beating of his own heart, the blood pumping heavily in his ears. However, the surrounding noises all narrowed down to breathing. His brother's forced and raspy wheezes and Danny's short shallow breaths, mixed with occasional loud sniffs. It was at that point that Benji realised that he had forgotten how to breathe.

Shutting his eyes and clenching his teeth, the agent finally took several deep, controlled breaths. He had to pull himself together quickly. Remember your training, Benji. Block the emotions…

It was then that he noticed another change – the noises outside had died down; the fight was over. As he took another breath and was about to spring into motion, his phone suddenly buzzed, and he automatically answered it.

"Benji, how are things inside?" Jane's tone was full of urgency. It seemed to work wonders at bringing the agent out of his stupor.

Silently pushing past Danny, who had been struggling with his own feelings for the past few seconds, Benji crawled up closer to Nick to get a better look at him. Letting out a shaky sigh, he started to talk, his voice detached and lifeless.

"We need an ambulance," he kept his sentences short and to the point, "ASAP. He's in a pretty bad shape. Gunshot wounds in the hands… through his hands…" Benji's voice let out a quiver and he forced his eyes shut once again before continuing in the same dull and detached tone, "… gunshot wound in the thigh. Femoral artery seems intact…" his gaze finally met with his brother's agonised one. Nick was struggling to keep his eyes focused and his breathing seemed to be getting increasingly troubled. Perching his lips into a thin line, Benji reached out and put his palm onto Nick's chest. "Shit," he hissed under his breath, his professional voice leaving him again.

"What is it?" Danny was already in tears he probably wasn't even noticing, but his eyes were now fully focused on Benji's, filling with more liquid than before.

"Benji?" Jane sounded softer now. Compassion, Benji recognised as he moved his gaze beck to his twin brother's bruised and bloodied face.

"There's water in his lungs," he finally rasped. "A lot of it. They'd been drowning him".

"Are you alright?" Jane asked quietly but quickly. She needed to check on his state as well.

"Call the ambulance," Benji felt the invisible force finally rendering him speechless as he squeezed his phone before putting it away, not paying attention to Jane's "Brandt's already calling it" coming from the speaker.

Breathing deeply through the nose, Benji pressed his palms to his face and rubbed it, in hopes to shake off the emotions which were now making him helpless.

"We should get out of here," he heard the police officer's voice next to him, high pitched and almost childlike. Benji was about to agree when suddenly some kind of an alarm bell went off in his head. Taking out his phone again, he dialled the number.

"How many of them are with you outside?" he asked as soon as he heard Jane answer. He waited for a few seconds as she took a look around.

"Eight," came the reply. "What's wrong? Are you coming out or…"

"There's one more out there somewhere," Benji interrupted, looking at the ninth thug lying dead on the floor, remembering that there were supposed to be ten of them.

"We'll block all exits," Ethan's voice sounded. Benji figured Jane was probably using the loud speaker. "Do you need any help?"

"That should do for now. He might be away already, for all we know," despite that sentence, Benji was determined to find the bastard. He knew he would never forgive himself if he let him get away.

Having pocketed his phone, Benji turned back to Daniel, who was staring at his semi-conscious partner with wide and teary eyes.

"Danny," Benji called out, avoiding looking at his brother, knowing it could render him useless again. The police sergeant shuddered at the sound of his name and looked up.

"Can you… Can you take him outside?" Benji asked somewhat awkwardly. "The ambulance will arrive soon to take care of him".

Danny nodded. He gingerly got his hands underneath Nicholas and lifted him up. No matter how gentle he tried to make that movement, Nicholas still let out a pain-filled rasp, forcing Danny to have to fight the shudder that went through his whole being.

"Aren't you going, too?" the sergeant asked, noticing how Benji remained at the same place after he had made some careful steps towards the door.

Benji shook his head.

"One of the bastards is still on the loose. He might be still in the building," he explained. He then walked up to his brother and put his hand onto his shoulder. "You'll be fine, big brother. I promise".

For a second their gazes locked. Benji felt like Nick wanted to say something. Whatever it was, it would have to wait.

"Go," the agent said to Danny, immediately turning away.