Chapter 8: Disaster

"Kill him!" Moreau ordered in French when she saw the camera in Brandt's eye. Her guards moved swiftly, reaching for their guns but Ethan was quicker. He kicked the coffee table up, taking down two men as Moreau made a run for it while Brandt leapt back.

A guard pulled his gun at Brandt, but he moved swiftly and Kat's jaw dropped as she saw him grab the gun, pulling the slide out sharply and rendering the gun useless while at the same time throwing the slide right into another man's neck and effectively knocking him down. He turned back to the first guard as the man tried to punch him as he tossed his now useless gun, but Brandt grabbed the man's fist and jabbed his elbow sharply into the man's neck.

Kat jumped as the door to their suite opened and she was distracted as Benji ran in, long enough for an elevator to finally stop for Wistrom.

"Damn it!" She swore when she looked back down and saw him entering the elevator.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Benji demanded and she replied urgently: "No time. Wistrom's in the elevator."

"What?" Benji cried as he hurried over, taking over the computer as Kat moved aside for him while she kept her anxious eyes on Moreau's room. Moreau was just slipping out the door as Ethan took out a guard, only to be met by another.

"Moreau's on the move!" Ethan called sharply as he took out the guard before turning to punch another as the man tried to sneak up on him.

"I've got her." Jane growled and Kat paled.

"Jane?" Ethan called, also catching the deadly tone in the woman's voice. "She's an asset! I need her alive! Acknowledge!"

Jane didn't reply and Kat chewed her lip as Ethan punched another man while he repeated sharply: "Acknowledge!"

Kat's hands clenched around her comm tightly as she watched Moreau rapidly trying to get the elevator. Benji stopped any from going to her and they watched Moreau disappear from their sight, heading towards the emergency stairs. Hopefully, or maybe not, Jane would cut her off.

Meanwhile, Benji took the walkie-talkie from Kat, calling to Ethan: "Uh... Ethan, Winstram is in the elevator. I, I can't see Leonid, though."

"He was shot right outside the elevator on our floor." Kat said, switching on her ear comms so that they could all hear her.

Benji glanced at her in surprise, but didn't comment as Ethan called sharply while he kicked more guards down: "Benji, slow him down. Get me an elevator."

Ethan stooped to grab his tracker as Benji stopped Wistrom on the 101st floor, while Kat's eyes widened as she saw Brandt grab a guard's leg as the man tried to kick him in the head, twisting it in a way that made the man scream in pain before he punched the man harshly in the head. The man immediately lost consciousness, and Brandt slowly straightened to see Ethan staring at him with a dark expression.

Brandt paused, his actions catching up to him as he met Ethan's eyes, but before he could say anything Ethan ordered harshly: "Get to Leonid."

He then ran off, heading for the elevator Benji had waiting for him while the techie also simultaneously tried to keep Wistrom from reaching the lobby.

"Benji, I've got a lock on Winstram." Ethan called as he walked into the elevator. "But I can't tell, is he still in the elevator?"

"Winstram's in the elevator, Ethan." Kat replied as Benji typed away at the computer.

"Kat?" Ethan called, and Kat frowned as she heard a slight crackle in his comm. "Ben-i?"

She glanced over at Benji as they heard Ethan breaking up and Benji called while trying to stall Wistrom: "Ethan. Over?"

They watched Ethan as he tapped on his comms before looking at the security camera, his hand lifted over his ear as he showed them he couldn't hear.

"Ethan, can you hear me?" Benji called worriedly. "Ethan, can you hear me? Over."

Kat jumped as the door burst open, and she and Benji whipped around to see Moreau standing in the doorway, her face set in dark anger.

"Oh, Jesus!" Benji gasped as he leapt to his feet while Kat bit back a shriek, flinching as Moreau was shoved into the room to show Jane behind the blonde assassin, holding a gun to Moreau's back as she pushed the other woman. Moreau glared back at Jane angrily, but walked as Jane pushed her harshly further into the room, shoving her in an armchair as she snarled: "Sit down!"

Kat watched with terrified eyes as Jane dropped Moreau's handbag in a corner, handing her gun over to Benji as she bit out, her eyes never leaving Moreau: "Watch her."

"Why, why, why me?" Benji stammered as he took the gun shakily.

"Because if I do, I'll kill her." Jane snarled, her voice shaking just slightly as she turned away, striding into the bedroom to get away from Moreau. Kat watched her leave anxiously, before glancing back at Benji and Moreau. The blonde woman was fuming silently as Benji was holding the gun with both hands to steady himself as he watched Moreau and Kat glanced down at the computer.

She saw Wistrom finally reaching the lobby, moving quickly towards the doors, but she was relieved to see Ethan arrive just seconds after. She watched Ethan head swiftly after Wistrom, moving to cut the man off before he reached the escalators leading to the front door, when Brandt's voice made her jump.

"Kat? Benji?" He called over the comms, and Kat glanced briefly over to the other screen to see Brandt kneeling before Leonid.

"Go for Benji." Benji replied, speaking into the comm unit, and becoming briefly being distracted from watching Moreau just as Kat lifted her head.

"I've got Leonid by the elevators." Brandt called just as Kat cried in warning: "Benji!"

It was too late- Moreau jumped him, whacking him hard in the head and knocking him out. Kat jumped over, grabbing Moreau's arm in an attempt to stop her, but the blonde woman twisted them so that Kat's arm was bent back sharply. She cried out in pain as Moreau reached for the gun, when Jane came charging out of the bedroom.

Moreau lifted the gun as Jane tackled her, sending all three women crashing into the coffee table. Kat struggled to get away while Jane kept a firm hold on Moreau, but Moreau elbowed her harshly in the face and Jane's grip slipped. Moreau ducked away as Jane shot her arm out to grab the blonde woman again, just missing as she grabbed the sleeve of Moreau's dress instead.

There was a loud ripping sound as the dress tore while Kat scrambled for the gun Moreau had dropped. The sound of something heavy smashing made her turn and Kat yelped as she ducked a lamp Moreau had thrown her way, after throwing a vase in Jane's direction. It had just missed, smashing into the floor instead, when Moreau had seen Kat going for the gun. Hence the lamp at her head.

Kat barely avoiding being hit by the lamp as Moreau and Jane struggled in the corner of the room and Kat tried to go for the gun again when Jane shouted: "Kat!"

Kat glanced back and dove to the side as another vase came flying towards her. She'd just crawled back to her feet when Moreau came crashing down onto the rug before her, not too far from the gun after Jane had kicked her. Kat launched fir the gun before Moreau could, and her hand had just touched it when Moreau smashed her elbow down on Kat's arm.

Kat yelped in pain as she was forced to let go of the gun, and Moreau grabbed the gun. She rose, pointing it at Kat when Jane grabbed Moreau's arm and swung the gun away so that it pointed harmlessly into the ceiling as Moreau fired.

Kat shrieked at the sound, moving quickly out of the way as Moreau and Jane wrestled for control over the gun, Moreau continuing to fire as Jane struggled to keep the gun pointed in the air. They crashed into the window, a foot away from the open hole and Kat gasped. She whirled around in alarm when the door to their suite opened, before she breathed in relief as she saw Brandt standing there, his gun pointed in front of him.

He paused, taking in the scene before he ordered: "Kat! Bedroom!"

Kat scrambled to get to the room and out of the way, not questioning his order, when suddenly Brandt shouted: "Jane!"

Kat whipped around to see Jane fall to the ground and Moreau spun, pointing her gun at Jane as Brandt warned sharply: "No!"

Moreau fired at the same time Jane's foot shot out, kicking the woman in the stomach and causing her shot to miss, hitting the wall harmlessly, while sending Moreau flying... right out the hole in the window panels. Kat screamed with Moreau as the blonde fell, the latter's shriek fading into the distance as she fell all 119 floors.

Kat's hands moved to cover her mouth as she tried to gain control over herself, gasping in shock as Jane slowly got to her feet, looking as shocked as the rest of them. Brandt had lowered his gun, but his mouth was parted in horror, unable to believe what had just happened, when Benji suddenly sat up, gripping his head in pain.

"What happened?" Benji asked numbly as he tried to focus around the pounding in his head.

"Jane-" Brandt began to growl, and Benji glanced at around worriedly, hearing the deadly tone in Brandt's voice.

His eyes immediately landed on Kat, and he asked quickly: "Kat? You okay?"

Brandt glanced over, noting the way the woman was shaking as she held her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide and terrified. Kat shook her head, starting to gasp as she began to hyperventilate.

"Woah!" Benji cried, starting towards her before his legs gave out and he crashed back onto the ground. "Kat-"

"It's okay." Brandt said firmly, coming over and kneeling in front of the woman. Her eyes focused on him as he called her attention: "Kat?"

Kat stared at him, and he ordered: "Breathe. It's okay."

Kat was still taking short quick gasps, and Brandt ordered as he demonstrated: "Deep breath. Come on."

Kat slowly followed his lead, taking a shaky breath. She repeated the action a few times, her breathing and heart rate slowly coming back to normal as she stared at Brandt's blue eyes, using that to anchor herself. When he was satisfied she wasn't going to lose it, Brandt turned away, leaving Kat to come to terms with what had happened while his gaze darkened and he glared at Jane.

She had been watching Kat's progress, but at his look she turned away, not meeting his accusatory glare. Benji glanced between them anxiously as a heavy silence descended upon them, Kat's slowing breathing the only sound that could be heard.

*******

The car-ride back to the safe house was dead silent, and Kat had thought she would suffocate from the tension. They'd left quickly after Ethan had returned empty-handed from his chase across the city, tired and dirty after going through the sandstorm. It was clear everyone was stewing as the weight of their failure sank in, and Kat and Benji kept meeting eyes uncomfortably as Brandt glared at the back of Jane's head while she ignored him to glare out the window into the desert. Ethan wasn't looking at any of them, keeping his gaze fixed on the road.

The moment they arrived back at the safe house, Ethan disappeared into the bathroom, most likely to wash off all the sand and probably to try cool off a little bit. Jane definitely was as she took over the kitchen sink, dipping a cloth in the water and pressing it to her face and neck. Benji sank into a chair, his laptop open on the kitchen table as he tried to find a way to trace Hendricks, and Kat gingerly took the seat beside him while Brandt leant on the table beside them.

The analyst finally cracked, his control on his temper breaking as Brandt snarled at Jane: "Now, what happened with Moreau, Jane?"

"She couldn't help us with Hendricks." Jane replied, her tone more even... although barely.

Brandt wasn't even trying as he yelled at her: "So let's throw her off the building!"

"I didn't throw her." Jane snapped, turning to face Brandt angrily, but he was just as furious as he shouted: " Let's throw her off the building! She was not," he slammed a fist onto the table, making both Benji and Kat flinch, "the mission, Jane!"

Jane's hands had curled into tight fists while Benji and Kat shrank in their seats, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire as Brandt advanced on Jane, yelling: "The mission was to track the file back to Hendricks, who is in the wind, with nuclear launch codes!"

"Well, maybe if you had found Leonid faster," Jane snarled, her temper starting to get the best of her, "we would have at least saved one asset!"

"He'd been shot in the chest! Nothing could've saved him, but nothing, except you, was stopping us from at least catching Moreau!" Brandt yelled and Jane shouted back, looking like she was ready to murder Brandt: "It was self-defense! Maybe you missed the gun she was pointing at me!"

"Kat had a gun pointed at her, but she didn't throw Moreau off the building!" Brandt yelled, and Kat cringed at being dragged into the argument.

But it got worse as Jane whirled on her, snapping: "Speaking of which, why didn't you tell us you're a hacker?"

"I'm not a hacker." Kat said a little too defensively. "I have a master's degree in computer science."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Jane growled, and Kat countered, her eyes flashing with anger at the accusation: "You didn't ask."

"You should've told us." Brandt countered, still fuming but his anger now turning to Kat. "It was important, and we could've used that knowledge! It could've saved us all time!"

"You are the ones that said I couldn't help." Kat glowered at him, annoyed by his statement. "I was just a civilian who wanted to go home."

Brandt glared back at her, clearly unimpressed by her jab, while Benji began: "Now, I don't think you guys are thinking straight-"

"And how the hell did the Russians find us?" Jane demanded as she focused on Benji, who gaped.

"What are you asking me for?" He demanded, and Jane shouted as she slammed his laptop shut: "Because you're communications! You were in charge of covering our tracks!"

"I'm sorry, are you suggesting-" Benji began, his own anger stirring at the accusation, when Brandt cut in sternly: "We cannot afford to make mistakes like that now, Benji. You're not a technician anymore. You're a field agent."

Benji turned to Brandt, taken-aback and offended. Kat was just thinking it couldn't get worse, when Ethan let his presence back in the room known, snapping angrily as he trained his dark eyes on Brandt: "And you're just an analyst! Right?"

Brandt paused, as did everyone else. Benji and Jane were looking a little confused, while Kat's eyes flitted between the two men as Brandt blinked in shock and Ethan repeated, shouting accusingly: "Right?!"

Kat winced, starting to chew on her lip anxiously as Ethan strode to stand before Brandt, demanding in a deadly voice: "Who are you really, Brandt?"

"What are you asking?" Brandt replied, his voice even, although his blue eyes were just as icy.

"What am I asking?" Ethan repeated, and he shook his slightly as he turned a little away from Brandt. "Well, let me see if I can put it another way."

He suddenly pulled out his gun, pointing it at Brandt. Benji flinched as Jane's eyes narrowed and Kat gasped, her eyes wide as she watched Brandt grab the gun, pulling it out of Ethan's hand as he moved to avoid a line of fire. The movement exposed his back just long enough for Ethan to grab Brandt's gun, which had been tucked into the waistband of his pants in the small of his back, and he started to point it at Brandt.

Brandt spun, catching Ethan's hand before Ethan could shoot and he twisted the gun out of Ethan's hand, taking it himself and pointing it directly at Ethan's head as their brief duel ended. Kat's heart was racing as she watched uncertainly while Jane pulled her gun, pointing it at Brandt.

Ethan hadn't even flinched, his gaze calculating as he asked Brandt in a low voice: "How does an agent with skills like that, end up an analyst?"

Brandt's fists tightened briefly around his gun, his jaw clenching before he pulled out the gun's magazine, throwing it behind him as he rendered the gun useless. Jane paused, slowly lowering her own gun as Brandt told Ethan flatly: "Well, we all have our secrets."

He held out the gun, handing it back to Ethan as he said pointedly: "Don't we, Ethan?"

Ethan took the gun back, his eyes never leaving Brandt as he said slowly: "You tell me yours, I'll tell you mine."

There was a brief silence as everyone looked at Brandt, wondering what he would do. Kat bit her lip, watching as Brandt seemed to consider it for a moment before he looked away, his gaze lowering as he turned away from the other man. Benji and Jane exchanged looks as Brandt leant heavily against the stair rails, while Kat glanced between Brandt's dejected back and Ethan's disappointed and then resigned expression.

Ethan finally turned back to his team, glancing at Jane and Benji as he told them flatly: "I have friends in the region. Just sit tight. I'll send someone to get you out of here."

He grabbed the car keys and turned to leave, making them all frown.

"What about Hendricks?" Jane asked in confusion. "What's the plan?"

"The plan," Ethan answered a little sharply as he turned back to look at Jane, "was for us to stop him together."

His tone made it clear what he meant and Jane stiffened while Kat glanced around uneasily.

"Ethan..." Kat began but Ethan answered sharply: "Don't worry, Miss 160IQ," she stiffened while the others' mouths dropped open and they gaped at her, "you'll be home soon enough."

Her eyes narrowed and she wondered how he'd found out, when Ethan turned back to the door, striding out without another look back, and Benji called after him worriedly: "Well, what are you gonna do?"

"Change the plan." Ethan replied shortly as he opened the door and Jane demanded: "Wait. That's it?"

He didn't answer as he slammed the door behind him.

"What, what you gonna do?" Benji demanded at the closed door. "Go after him alone?"

He gave up, sighing dejectedly as they were left alone, while Jane turned to glare at Brandt, deciding to tackle the greater evil first, as the man moved to get his jacket and bag.

"Would you care to explain yourself, Agent Brandt?" She snarled, and Brandt paused halfway through picking up his bag. Brandt seemed to be deliberating before he finally sighed, dropping his bag as his shoulders sagged in defeat... and despair.

"Where's the Scotch?" He asked as he slowly turned back to them.