Rogue Nation: Meet the IMF

Chapter 5: Vienna

Kat's eyes widened as Benji pulled up the image Ethan had sent, tilting his phone so she could also see one of the same pencil drawings he'd left for the CIA at the motel in Cuba. The drawing was a rough sketch of a very familiar man with short hair, his face pulled into a small frown with cold eyes behind the dark-rimmed spectacles.

"Who is he?" Benji asked blankly while Kat tensed.

"That's what we're here to find out." Ethan replied. "What I do know, is he's our only possible link to the Syndicate and I have reason to believe that he's going to be here tonight."

Benji frowned lowering his phone thoughtfully as Ethan admitted: "But I can't find him alone. Are you in?"

Benji sighed, and Ethan repeated urgently: "Are you in?"

"Yes, of course. Of course." Benji answered, and Ethan asked: "And Kat?"

"Uh..." Benji glanced at the woman questioningly. She caught his gaze and lifted a brow, waiting for him to tell her what was going on.

"We're here to catch this guy," Benji explained lamely, "and Ethan wants to know if you're in?"

"Yes." Kat replied, and Benji was surprised to see the fire that suddenly flared in her green eyes.

"Okay, yes, Kat's in, too." Benji told Ethan. "Looks very invested; actually, it's a little scary."

Kat snorted while Ethan replied a little amusedly: "Well, she would. He's the one who kidnapped her."

"Thought so." Benji muttered before he asked: "So, what's the play?"

"Simple." Ethan replied lightly. "You find him, we tag him. I follow him wherever he goes."

"And after that?" Benji asked, waiting for the catch, before frowning as Ethan replied shortly: "After that you're on a plane with Kat, both back at work Monday morning. No one is the wiser."

"What? That's it?" Benji demanded, making Kat look at him questioningly, while Ethan replied seriously: "You're in enough danger as it is, especially if you've now got Kat with you. I didn't want to involve you this much but I had no choice."

"Well, if you're gonna bring me all this way," Benji countered, "you could at least give me something a little be more... you know, dramatic."

"Benji, we are trying to keep a low profile." Ethan replied in amusement. "You want drama, go to the opera."

Benji sighed as he and Kat stepped out of the underground across the street from the Opera House. Kat was getting impatient, so Benji quickly filled her in on the plan and she gave him a look when he was finished.

"That's it?" She asked, and Benji pointed out: "That was my reaction."

"And he said it'd be 'simple'?" Kat checked, and Benji nodded.

"Yup, his words exactly." He replied and Kat sighed.

"What?" Benji asked as Ethan echoed his sentiment, having heard Kat over Benji's comms.

"Well," Kat pointed out, "nothing's ever simple with Ethan."

There was a silence over the comms from Ethan's side, while Benji scoffed: "You're overthinking things, Kit-Kat." She noticed something over his shoulder and her eyes widened. "I mean sure, there's been the odd case, but most of the time-"

Kat tapped his shoulder and nodded behind him. Benji turned to look before his jaw dropped.

"Okay, not simple. Definitely not simple." Benji muttered before asking Ethan: "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"