Sylum Advent 2023: Day Thirty-One

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Sylum Snippet/Teaser: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

Author: Bj Jones

Author Note: This is a teaser/snippet from the next saga in the Mission Impossible series

“What the actual fuck is Lamont up to?”

Brandt sighed heavily as he leaned against the outside wall of IMF, well it might not be IMF for long. He was thankful the phone he had was one of those new shiny phones that made IMF tech look like a cheap cell phone from the 90’s.

“I have no idea!” He growled out. “Ethan is on the run. Lamont … excuse me Alexander Huntly is raging around like an entitled asshole. He somehow got us defunded and we’re now part of the CIA.”

“Oh yes cause the CIA is so good that I hacked them with a dell laptop and a cell phone connection in the fucking 90’s!”

It was obvious Luther was beyond pissed. His Mate was injured, on the run, and one of their own – as in a Vampire – was heading the posse.

“Ethan told me to stick close to Huntly, which means I’m keeping Benji close to me. With Ethan on the run, no one at the IMF would be shocked if you quit.”

“Resignation letter already sent. It was nicely worded and everything.”

“I call bullshit.”

“Fine it was fuck you and have fun with your credit rating.” Luther cursed Lamont loudly, and was ready to curse his ancestors and cow. “He does realize Ethan has more connections than him, right? He is not that stupid to think Ethan will be found.”

“Well here is my five minute analysis. He’s up to something. Wants Ethan to do something that he can’t order him to do in the Vampire World, as my dear darling wife was smart enough to stay away from his little pack of spies. So he’s trying to get Ethan to play his game, by forcing our hands. Right now sadly we are in his game. The problem is he doesn’t know all the players and likely will get his ass handed to him at some point, just may take a while. Meanwhile Benji is going to act like a geek boy who plays video games while watching the Opera during work hours. I will drink way too much coffee and follow him like a good Lead Hunter from Germany. You on the other hand will wreak havoc on everything and let Ethan do what Ethan does best.”

“Sounds about right.” Luther seemed a bit calmer. “He’s safe at the moment. I’m sure you can guess who has him.”

“Mom?”

“Lamont does not want to fuck with that woman.”

“Hell no – can we watch?” Brandt knows of Max, never met her or if he had, no idea that he had. She is protective of her boy, he’s good with this.

“I’ll send you a video.” The chuckle was downright wicked.

“I’m going to send the CIA agents on a merry joint across the world. They are going to remember who broke into their building and stole the NOC list from under their noses. Fucking idiots. Mess with my Mate and pay the price.”

Brandt chuckled softly. “Is he getting a new BMW?”

“Yes. Plus I’m saving up to send my Mate to finally climb Everest.” He could hear Luther moving around, it was likely he was packing and burning the safe house.

“Of course he wants to climb it. He’s an idiot.”

“He’s my idiot, and yours on occasions, when he really is being an idiot.”

“I would stick to personal safehouses.”

He could feel Luther’s no shit expression.

“Be prepared for chaos.”

***

Brandt leaned against the desk sipping his coffee. He hoped to God Benji could hack the systems just so he could relive this moment over and over again. Huntly was beyond pissed, the CIA agents had no idea what to do, and were completely confused.

“Excuse me?” Huntly barely bit back the growl and flash of fangs.

“We had visual proof of Hunt in Germany.”

“And?”

“Well ….”

The video showed Ethan going through a private airplane terminal, his profile was enough to catch the face recognition. By the time one of the teams reached him in Berlin, he was sitting comfortably in a local shop enjoying breakfast.

The CIA Agents surrounded the table, forcing him to raise his hands. The man took off his sunglasses and looked up at them, showcasing instantly they had the wrong person. He had some of Hunt’s features, but he was older and was wearing an eye patch, plus there were finger prosthetics on one of his hands.

When one of the agents, who thought he was all that because he was a CIA Agent, went to remove the patch, in a flash the man grabbed the agent’s hand and told him politely not to touch him or he would start a diplomatic incident. The accent was thick and obviously German.

Lamont stared at Brandt who sipped his coffee. The Head of the Spy Council couldn’t say shit to the Lead Hunter of Ehre/Weisheit about one of his Hunters, especially in front of ‘Civilians’. They were lucky Presten was watching from the sidelines and not participating.

A week later one of the Analysts was once again trying to explain to the Head of the CIA that they had a lead on Hunt in Australia. Footage showed Hunt on a motorcycle flying through Sydney. It was well known that the IMF Agent had safehouses and friends in Australia, so it was a location that had surveillance.

But again it all went to shit.

Sydney police pulled over the motorcyclist, as they approached with agents following behind, the man pulled off his helmet, letting his longer locks fall onto his shoulders. He could’ve been Hunt’s older brother, but it wasn’t Hunt. He started to demand why he was pulled over, stating he was visiting Australia with his husband, who ran one of the richest tech companies in the Pacific Asian theatre.

Lamont growled at Brandt who was sipping on tea, as Benji had taken away his coffee. Once again the Head of the Spy Council couldn’t say shit to the Co-Leader of Shogun.

The third sighting had everyone weary but they went after the situation with the typical CIA enthusiasm. Basically barge into the situation, guns blazing and ask questions later. This time they were in San Diego, California. Their Intel led them to a bar just outside Camp Pendleton. They rushed into the bar, barking orders only to find a room full of Navy men staring back at them.

One agent worked to calm the situation down, then stated that they were looking for a wanted fugitive. The bartender rolled his eyes and vouched for everyone in the room as God Fearing Servicemen who deserved more respect.

The agent walked over to the edge of the bar and yanked Hunt around, only to pause. The man was too young, though he had Hunt’s shit eating grin. Out of the rank and file men, stepped an Admiral who demanded to know why they thought their Top Gun trainer was a fugitive. The CIA agents slinked out of the bar, and stalked to their cars, wondering how the hell Hunt was doing it.

Lamont took the cup out of Brandt’s hand and threw it into the trash. The Hunter casually picked up another and continued watching the drama unfold. Lamont would likely yell at Nico, but he was pretty sure the Roman would send Kenway.

When they got a hit in Toronto, Canada they were very weary. But like good CIA Agents they followed up on it, but instead of barging in they sat in their cars and waited. The moment the suspect exited the three star michelin restaurant there was no way it was Hunt.

They argued that it could be a disguise, but continued to argue Hunt would not wear that much lace. The suspect walked over to the car and knocked on the window. Told them they sucked at surveillance and reminded them that the CIA had no jurisdiction in Canada. He flounced, it was the only word they could find to describe it, away talking on his cell phone about almost being molested by police and they weren’t even hot.

Brandt may have choked on his coffee, screw Benji he needed the coffee, while Lamont contemplated his life choices and maybe just maybe realized Hunt was damn better at this than he realized.

Ethan had been on the run for over six months. Wilhelm had no idea where he was actually located, but knew he was doing some major work, and Luther was helping. Lamont also couldn’t find the hacker, and Vachon had just stared at him during the conference call, then hung up.

“Sir we have lead in Kansas of all places.”

Lamont paused as he tried to figure out if there were any more of Hunt’s relatives still around. He hadn’t heard about any strolling through middle America. “Tell me it isn’t that hot shot pilot?”

“Nope he’s still in San Diego, he waves at the agents everytime he gets a coffee.”

Brandt snorted but didn’t say a word and ignored the glares from his ‘boss’.

“This one matches Hunt’s characteristics. Looks to be about the same age.” The agent was praying to any deity that it was actually Hunt this time. “We got agents heading towards him now.”

Brandt pulled up his phone, texting Luther for the first time worrying that this was a problem. All he got back was laughing emojis. Phone back in his pocket he sipped his drink and watched. The team was located in the middle of nowhere, they stepped out of their standard issue Chevrolets and walked across the old parking lot into a diner that had been there since the dawn of the road trip.

Hunt was in the back booth, head down reading over some maps. There was a cup of coffee next to him, along with an empty plate. The nice waitress kept filling the cup, while she flirted. Hunt gave the girl a beaming smile, then paused when he saw the agents heading towards him. He handed the waitress some cash and told her to go in the back and stay there.

“How can I help you agents?”

“The gig is up Hunt, you’re coming with us?”

“Who?” The man asked only to pause then roll his eyes. “Not him. No really wrong guy.”

“No I don’t think … ” The agent stepped back when ‘Hunt’ got up from the booth.

Lamont’s mouth opened in shock and Brandt almost dropped his drink. The man was way past six feet and no way was he Ethan Hunt, there was something way more deadly about him. The agent shifted wanting to pursue the situation but listened to his instincts that said the only one who would be walking out would be ‘Hunt’. He sighed, signaled his men, turned and left.

Lamont actually looked a bit shocked.

“Don’t look at me, I had no idea they came in that size.” Brandt stated, now understanding the laughing emojis. He needed to talk to his wife about holding out on family.

Alexander Huntly stalked out of the control room, back to his office.

Wilhelm still wasn’t sure what the game was, he knew it had something to do with Solomon Lane, now that was a bastard he had never wanted to see again. But Lamont should know Ethan Hunt won’t be found until he wants to.

He sent a rude emoji back to Luther, only to get more laughing ones in return.