After been cleared at the medical camp near the Siachen Glacier, Ethan Hunt needed some time off from the IMF, the same with Illsa Faust, now that she was free, almost because she need it to fill some paperwork in the newly Headquarters of the MI6.
There were bringing all the equipment from the subway station, so all agents were summoned, including a special one that was about to retire. Therefore, a new position was up to grab if she were interested, but first she needed to consult it with Ethan. But that would have to wait for another occasion. At least he was the one who let her know that she had everything to find him.
It did not take that long to settle, due to an unexpected assignment that he received of a higher risk than the ones that came before. Ethan was accustomed to all types of trouble, but this one was truly dangerous. As always, the recorded message sounded from the tape recorder that it was sent to his supposedly vacation site, which in reality was a safehouse.
The recorded message sounded as follows:
Hello Ethan, the following mission is only for your eyes and for the team that you choose, because this is of high concern for the CIA, done wrong and it could destroy the good relationships between the United States and England. Said that, recently we discover that a rogue agent named Jason Bourne infiltrated the rebuilt headquarters of MI6, and not only did he steal some confidential files but he planted a bomb on the director’s main office. Luckily, the director of MI6 was not killed, but many were injured during this attack. In order to do damage control, we need you to do the impossible possible, you must capture Jason Bourne alive so we can understand with what we are dealing and propose a solution to avoid jeopardizing our liaison with MI6. This mission, if you accept choose to accept it, will autodestruct in 10 seconds. Thank you Ethan, and good luck.
—Interesting —expressed Ethan, after dropping the recorder to the floor to avoid a serious burn.
To his understanding, Jason Bourne have never been captured because he as him, were so darn good, so this was indeed a challenge. Well, more than a challenge, it was an opportunity to do what others have not been able to achieve, and for this to be a successful mission, he needed his Ghost Protocol’s Team, to which Benji accepted without question, as also William Brandt and Jane Carter. Everyone agreed to return and help Ethan on this intriguing and impossible Bourne mission.
First, they surveilled all the available video of the Bourne heist and it was very strange for Ethan to admit that his target acted a little carelessly. Like he wants it to be noticed, but at what extend? If this is the case, then why disappear, or was this a message for someone in the MI6. Was a new black ops program underway and he want it to stop it before it started?
Nothing of all this made any sense, either way, it did not matter. He was going to capture him while trying to figure out his true motivations. Once he got him, he will get those answers because he needed to know. After what happened with August Walker, he could not give himself the luxury of trusting the CIA that easily.
—So, —Ethan requetet his team’s attention— What have you all found?
—Well, nothing —Jane was the first to respond—, previous to the Bourne’s assault, I could not find nothing about him. Some of his files are confidential and locked.
This put Ethan to think harder.
—He is practically your equal —William admired, trying to remain calm—, a ghost, there is no way unless he wants them to, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.
—What would you do, Ethan? —Benji tried to remain calm—, like Brandt said, he is you in a similar way. Does he have someone to care, any alliance?
—According to the Blackbriar Operation records, he shared a relationship with a girl named Marie Kreutz but was killed by a corrupt Russian Federal Security Service Assassin under the orders of Ward Abbot, former director of Treadstone.
—This is truly a mess —Ethan put both of his hands on his head to try to put in order his thoughts.
—Wait minute —Jane intervened —, it happens that tomorrow is the anniversary of her death.
—Who’s dead? —requested Benji.
—Bourne’s girlfriend —repeated Jane, grateful of being of use once more—, Marie.
—This is a good start —Ethan acknowledged —, where was she killed?
Ethan started to walk in circles, to soothe his anxiety.
—At the Nerul Bridge —revealed Will—, Panjim City, Goa, India. I remembered, it was like 20 years ago, when we all got hit hard with the Neski case. Those were indeed dark times I am afraid.
—It is probably that he will go and visit the site —Ethan suggested with certainty as expected—, knowing him, hewill probably have an escape route.
—Wait —Benji interrupted with a nervous voice—, it can’t be that easily.
—It is not —Ethan corrected after putting his serious face—, we are going to do what the others did not do, we are going to let him come to us.
—Like Solomon? —Will remembered with a laugh.
—Something like—Ethan smiled—. Now, let get to work.
Jason Bourne was surprised to acknowledged that it has been more than 20 years since Marie, the love of her life was shot in this same bridge. He still remembered when they switch seats while running from an assassin, and then out of nowhere, Marie got shot in the head and both ended up on the river. That bullet was meant for him, he was the one who need it to die, no her, never her. Since that tragedy, he has never forgiven himself for causing her death.
Returning to the place of the tragedy was a promise Jason Bourne had to keep every year. He longed to go back to their first meeting outside the American Consulate in Zurich. Back then, he had no idea who he was, and Marie was unaware that he was hunted by Treadstone. Never in his mind, Jason thought of returning to the CIA. They were not to be trusted, so much corruption, lies and political issues that it became difficult to separate the good from the evil.
No, he was never going back and, in a way, he sensed an invitation because he recognized a certain figure nearby. He decided to wait an see what he wanted, maybe he was working with Pamela Landy. Only one way to be sure. He slowly turned to face Ethan and both stared at each other trying to read their minds through their physical gestures and body signals.
—Jason Bourne —Ethan called without sudden movement.
—Ethan Hunt —Jason looked directly into his eyes, just to show him that he was fearless.
—You hear about me —he smiled—, I am flattered.
—I could say the same thing—Jason drop his face to hide his smile—, this is the first time they send a legend.
—I wouldn’t call myself a legend.
For a brief moment, both agents looked around to make sure there was no one else but them.
—But you are Ethan —assured Jason—, let’s cut to the chase.
—I was rather hopping we can avoid that —laugh Ethan while studying Jason’s true intentions.
—Yes —Jason started to prepare mentally—, I heard you had a strange sense of humor.
—Please —begged Ethan—, don’t run.
Jason kept quiet.
—Look —Ethan raised his hands to show Jason that he was unarmed—, we just need you come in, not with the CIA but with the IMF.
—They are the same!
Jason leaned on the bridge railing and Ethan did the same.
—No —Ethan clarified in good faith—, we are not, and you know it very well.
—What exactly do I know, Ethan?
—Everything.
This was it; this was the moment were Jason will do the unthinkable.
—Not everything.
Jason took a few steps back from the bridge, as if he were grabbing momentum.
—I don’t want to do this the hard way —reply Ethan, trying to sound so convincing— I don’t want to humiliate you, from one rogue agent to another, please, reconsider.
For a moment, Jason did reconsider the offer.
—I can’t.
—Then you leave me no choice.
As expected, Jason Bourne started to run toward Ethan and they both engaged on a tactical fight. Both were good at blocking each other. Jason evade his hits at all times while Ethan did anything, he could to knocked him. But both men were too dawn good at fighting each other. Ethan was positioned in front of Bourne’s escape route and Bourne just needed to remove him so he can just jump on the river to escape via a jet ski that he hidden for this occasion.
As coldly calculated, Jason managed to knock down Ethan, and as he descended through the bridge, he immediately got trapped in a fish nest that Benji programmed automatically to launch exactly when Jason was falling. Ethan could not contain himself as he watched an angry Jason being carried by Benji and Will. Luckily, nobody noticed when they put him in the truck to go directly to IMF installations as Ethan promised.
—This is absurd man —Jason alleged.
—Told you so —Ethan reminded him.
—You truly have an awful smile, do you know.
What a cheap shot, Ethan thought while getting closer to him.
—Yes, I have been told.
Jason started to get desperate.
—Why am I here Ethan?
—You know why —Ethan insisted.
—No —Jason stressed—, I don’t.
—Whatever you think —Ethan was optimistic— I didn’t do it.
—Really? —Ethan challenged him— we have footage from yourself stealing MI6 Files, and also destroying their new facilities. Care to explain?
This was totally crazy for Jason to even listened.
—They are framing me again —it did made sense on Ethan’s mind—. You should know it.
—I give you that —concord Ethan—, but how can I be sure that you are telling the truth.
—I am Jason Bourne, you are Ethan Hunt, we are not clumsy nor stupid, we are the best of what we do. Tell me, why would I risk everything on Marie’s death anniversary, it makes no sense and you know it, deep inside, you know it to be true.
Ethan requested Benji to bring his laptop so he could review the surveillance footage again and again. And suddenly he knew that he was telling the truth, but he did not had time to react because when they least expected, an explosion derailed the Van. So, in the middle of the fire, he helped the rest of the team escape while Jason was nowhere to be seen. Seconds later, he was surrounded by MI6 agents, one of them was Bond, James Bond.
Ethan was transported to a secure facility and placed in the middle of a large hall, where he stood one on one with the famous 007. As always, Ethan smiled.
—It is an honor to finally meet you —released Ethan.
—Oh Ethan, you truly don’t know anything, that is a first.
James Bond revealed not to be himself after removing the mask from his face.
—Why am I not surprised —Ethan maintain his concentration—. Don’t tell me you are part of the apostles.
—Not actually, we are the eye, we are everywhere and control everything, and best of all is that you will never see me coming.
—So, you are Spectre —Ethan accepted the truth.
—Let me present myself, I am Ernst Stavro Blofeld Jr.
Ethan could not avoid to laugh when the son of Blofeld added the Jr. at the end of his presentation.
—Just dropped the Jr., please —Ethan was getting annoyed—. It does not suit you.
—But it does Mr. Hunt —explained Blofeld Jr.—, because I am the son, the future and to my satisfaction, everything went exactly as planned. Bourne is on the run, and your team would soon be killed by him while you are going to get killed by James Bond, obviously personified by me. This would create a war between the CIA, MI6 and IMF because Bourne killed your crew while trying to escape with records that proved that IMF was in league with MI6, then Bond killed you in retaliation and we have civil and cold war again.
—And while the world is at war —Ethan concluded—, Spectre will thrive once more.
—Exactly —Blofeld Jr. sounded happy—, my father will be pleased after his liberation and the world will be a safer place under our guidance and protection.
—That is a good thoughtful plan —interrupted Ethan—, but you are forgetting something important. From the beginning, I knew Jason Bourne was telling the truth. The Bourne we see in the footage is left-handed as you are.
Clever, Ethan Hunt was hatefully clever than Blofeld Jr. could anticipated.
—I have dealt with people like you in the past, to mentioned The Syndicate, so I knew you like to watch, like you said it, you are the eye, so Bourne and I staged everything. The fighting and the he getting trap in the nest, which he did, no matter if he says otherwise. So, let’s cut to the chase, your plan failed beautifully.
—Well —Blofeld regains confidence— , I suppose killing you will suffice for the moment.
Blofeld raised his arm pointing to Ethan’s head and before pulling the trigger, a cellphone on Ethan’s pocket ringed.
—You should answer the call —Ethan warmed—, trust me, it is in the best interest of all.
Blofeld Jr. took Ethan’s phone and after answering, it was revealed that Jason Bourne was on top of the building in from of them. From there, he was pointing at Ethan with a sniper riffle. After the warning, he did not have an alternative but to dropped his gun and accept defeat.
—Well played —that was the last thing Ethan heard of him.
While saying their goodbyes, Ethan and Jason were greeted but none other than James Bond.
—It’s good to finally meet you Mr. Bond.
—Likewise.
Jason, Ethan and James shook hands in a sign of respect and admiration.
—We are good?
Ethan gave the recordings to Bond, while M and Moneypenny took Blofled Jr. to custody.
—Yes —assured James—, we are good.
—Well, I supposed you don’t want to join us at IMF.
When Ethan turned to look at Jason, suddenly he was nowhere to be found. That made him laugh as it was something expected.
—I heard you are leaving MI6.
—Yes —there was something nostalgic in James’s response—, You should do the same.
—Just remember that If it doesn’t work, don’t be too hard on yourself.
—Ah, Madeleine is not like the others girls —James search for her at the farthest corner of the room and found her—, you should know better now that you and Illsa decided to stay together.
—I will appreciate it if you help us with the transition, before you go.
—Will do —Bond turned to make sure the transfer was executing as planned—, I will be lying if I said I wouldn’t miss this.
But to his surprised, Ethan was also gone.
—I suppose there is no time to die.
Bond laughed as he reunited with Madeleine to take a flight to Matera. He needed to go there before officially retiring. He just need it to go to Vesper's tomb and try to find closure, he owed it to him and to the love of his life, because she was the one who convinced him that he was more than an agent, so, in a way, he was very hopeful that this time, he would end up having the life he deserved.
The end.
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