Rogue Nation: Meet the IMF

Chapter 6: Ilsa Faust

"What's next?" She asked, and he replied as he nodded at the set of flags hanging downwards from their poles on the far end of the roof.

"There." He pointed out and she nodded, following him as he led the way. Ethan jumped over the balcony edge of their roof, landing on the lower section leading towards the flags.

He then offered his hand to help the woman as she settled on the balcony, but she stuck out her feet, saying: "Shoes."

Ethan glanced at them – they were very pretty and dainty but he couldn't see how that was important. She nodded at them as she said impatiently: "Shoes, please."

Ethan realized what she meant and quickly pulled the heels off her feet before helping her down. She took her shoes back as Ethan grabbed his rope once more, the pair running along the top of the roof towards the nearest flagpole. They slid down the edge to reach the pole, Ethan almost toppling over the edge as he landed. The woman grabbing him was the only thing that kept him from falling to his death and Ethan took a deep, calming breath.

The woman was watching him with wide eyes, also taking deep breaths to maintain calm, before Ethan threw his rope around the flagpole, wrapping it around to create a makeshift grapple. He gave it one test tug, and they both paused as the pole clanged ominously, clearly not made to take the weight.

"Uh..." Ethan began slowly, when the sounds of men shouting drew their attention to the roof doorway they had exited from. Ethan saw as guards came running out, searching for their targets, and that made up their minds for them. Ethan stood, catching the woman as she wrapped her legs around his waist, straddling him.

He jumped off the edge of the roof, taking them down the rope. No-one noticed, everyone too focused on staring as the police cars went by, and Ethan and the woman landed safely, unobserved, on the ground. They both let out the breath they'd unconsciously been holding, and she nodded at him as he held his arm out to her, tucking in his shirt as he did.

She took his arm, the pair slowly making their way away, when a loud clang followed by a clatter as the flagpole came crashing down made them pause. She glanced at him and he just shrugged slightly before they walked on calmly onto the street. They paused as the Chancellor's armoured car passed right by them...

There was an ominous flash from inside, making them pause, and then they flinched as the whole car exploded from inside, blowing up and landing in smoke and flames. Ethan and the woman stared, horror starting to wash over their faces as they realized what must have happened. Ethan's jaw tightened, before he glanced over as a car came speeding around, screeching to stop right in front of him.

"Get in." Benji called, and Ethan grabbed the woman, urging her inside first.

"Go, go, go." Ethan ordered the second he was in the car, slamming the door. Benji took off, heading swiftly in the opposite direction from the police cars as all troops were called in to the explosion.

Kat glanced back uneasily as she watched their mystery woman catch her breath, while Ethan staring out behind them to make sure they weren't being followed. Benji glanced back once to check on Ethan, before he looked back again as he demanded: "What the...!"

He turned to Ethan as he pointed out: "She tried to shoot me!"

"It doesn't make her a bad person." Ethan countered as he moved to face the woman, adding to her: "I'm going to have to search you."

"You have to let me go." She countered, as she kept her hands lifted in surrender while Ethan began to search her.

"Oh, ho. Not a chance." Benji retorted, while Kat glanced back again.