The sun rises in Prague and Ethan and Claire are in the same room. Ethan sits at the table and Claire is standing many feet away.
Ethan: I've been disavowed. They actually think I killed Jim and everyone else.
Ethan stands up.
Ethan: Somehow, $100,000 finds its way into my parents' bank account. Kittridge assumes I'm the mole they've been tracing, and I've been in the employ of an arms dealer, Max, for the last two years to get him our NOC list.
Claire looks concerned.
Claire: What are you gonna do?
Ethan: I'm gonna get it for him.
Claire grabs the bridge of her nose.
Claire: Ethan, you're not making any sense.
Ethan: Whoever the mole is, I think goes by the name of "Job". I can't find him, but if he knows I have the NOC list, he'll find me.
Claire: I'm gonna go in and I'm gonna talk to Kittridge myself, and I'm gonna tell him you had nothing to do with this.
Ethan: Claire, if you're not dead, he's gonna assume you're with me.
The computer starts beeping. Ethan sits back down and Claire walks over to him and looks at the computer. There is a response email from Max.
Claire: The message is for Job.
Ethan: That's right, and I'm gonna answer it.
The email reads, "Job, corner of Nekazanka and Prikopy. One p.m. Buy a pack of Dunhill and ask the man sitting on the bus stop bench for a match."
Ethan walks through a crowd on the sidewalk of a busy street. He sees the man on the bench Max was talking about and approaches him from behind.
Ethan: Excuse me.
The man looks over his shoulder.
Ethan: Can I trouble you for a match?
The man stands up, pulls out a box of matches, takes a match out, and lights it. A black car comes around the corner of the street and stops close to them. The man opens the backseat door and Ethan gets inside the car and sees Matthias sitting in one of the front seats. Matthias looks at Ethan.
Matthias: Would you remove your hat, please?
The man from the bench gets in the other back seat.
Ethan: Why?
Matthias: You wish to meet Max?
He pulls out a mask without eyeholes.
Matthias: The price of admission.
He places it over Ethan's head.
Ethan sits in an office, tied down to a chair, and still wearing the mask.
Ethan: I thought I was going to see Max.
Matthias: You misunderstood. No one sees Max.
Ethan: Then what the hell am I doing here?
Matthias: Allowing Max to see you and hear what you've got to say.
Ethan: Well, I don't communicate very well through a shroud.
Matthias: Well, if Max doesn't like what you have to say, you will be wearing that shroud indefinitely.
Ethan pauses for a moment and thinks.
Ethan: I'm willing to take the chance.
A figure at desk motions for Matthias to remove the shroud and he complies.
Matthias: Very well.
Ethan sputters and sees a woman sitting across from him.
Max: Who are you and what are you doing here?
Ethan smirks.
Ethan: I need $150,000.
Max laughs.
Max: Oh, really? You... You... And you thought if you simply showed up, I might give it to you?
Ethan shrugs and smiles.
Ethan: Why not? You gave Job $125,000.
Max: Mmm, the penny drops. You are not Job.
Max stands up and walks to Ethan.
Max: Job is not given to quoting Scripture in his communications. Then there was its tone, aggressive but playful. Job is not playful.
She leans closer to Ethan.
Max: So, you are something of a paradox.
Ethan: Well, that depends.
Max: On what?
Ethan: Whether you like a paradox.
Max chuckles.
Ethan: I want $150,000 today.
Max: Ah, no, no. That's quite out of the question.
She walks around Ethan.
Ethan: The disk Job sold you? It's worthless. It's bait, part of an internal mole hunt.
Max faces Ethan's backside and walks closer.
Max: And how might you know that?
She fidgets with his earlobe.
Max: Are you another company man?
Ethan turns his head slightly.
Ethan: Like Job?
Max: Mmm.
Max sits on the desk.
Max: We're asking about you.
Ethan: I'm NOC. Was. Now, disavowed.
Max: Why, may I ask?
Ethan: That is the question I want to ask Job.
Max shakes her head.
Max: I don't know Job any more than Job knows me.
Ethan: Even so, I'm sure you could arrange an introduction.
Max: Why should I?
Ethan: Because I can deliver the actual NOC list. The one you have is not only worthless, it's certain to be equipped with a homing device to pinpoint your exact location.
Max nods.
Max: Mmm-hmm. Mmm-hmm.
Ethan: Boot it up. In anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes, you'll have Virginia farm boys hopping around you like jackrabbits.
Max's smile fades.
Max: It's easy to say the disk is worthless when you say I can't look at the information and see if it's worthless. Not a tenable position, sir.
Ethan: Okay. Use it. But... I'd suggest you pack first.
Matthias takes the disk from a case and places it in a compartment next to a computer.
Matthias: 26, 27. So far, so good.
Max: Not so good for you, my friend.
Ethan: I'd say you've got about two minutes.
Max gives Ethan a look and the man from earlier exits the room and looks out from the balcony. He sees several cars approaching and goes back inside.
Matthias: 32 and 33.
Max: Doesn't mean it's a signal, could just be the hard drive heating up.
Ethan knowingly looks down at the floor and back up at Max. Several men in white coats walk up some stairs in another location.
Matthias: 44 and 45.
Max looks at Ethan. Ethan shakes his head. A man in a hat directs two of the men in white coats to a door and the last one to an area on the opposite side and directs a woman in a coat and hat. The two men in white coats and the man in the hat stand by a double door.
Man in Hat: (Whispering) Now.
The woman in the hat turns a corner with a handgun aimed at a woman vacuuming.
Matthias' radio scanner goes from 64 to 65. The third white coat man stands on the next floor aiming a silent gun at the double door. The other two men and the woman enter the room and search through it. Max, Matthias, Ethan, and the bench man walk across a rooftop. The man in the hat, Kittridge, enters the room after the others. He stops in the center of the room and removes his hat. One of the men stands next to him.
Kittridge: Man's gone black, Barnes. He's under until he decides to surface.
Barnes: Look, we can use somebody at the embassy. Involve the local authorities. We can cut off his transportation...
Kittridge: What can we do, Barnes? Put a guy at the airport? How many identities do you think Hunt has? How many times has he slipped past customs in how many countries? These guys are trained to be ghosts. We taught them to do it, for Christ's sake.
Kittridge starts walking away.
Barnes: Well, what do you suggest?
Kittridge turns back to Barnes.
Kittridge: Let's not waste time chasing after him. Let's make him come to us. Everybody has pressure points, Barnes. You find something that's personally important to him and you squeeze.
Ethan and Max sit in the backseat of a car.
Max: Gunther will never let me have one of his apartments again. Sorry I doubted you, dear boy. You are a good sport.
They both smile.
Ethan: Thanks, Max. Or is it "Maxine"?
Max laughs.
Max: I don't have to tell you what a comfort anonymity can be in my profession.
Ethan laughs.
Max: It's like a warm blanket.
Ethan nods.
Max: My deal with Job was subject to a successful boot scan. Obviously, it didn't pass muster. Deal's off.
Ethan: What was your deal with Job?
Max: Um, $6,000,000. I'll give you the same, but I want the complete list now, not just in Eastern Europe. I won't do this piecemeal, it's too dangerous. I want the entire list.
Ethan: $10,000,000. $10,000,000 in negotiable US Treasury certificates in bearer form, coupons attached. And one more thing. Your personal assurance that Job will be at the exchange.
Max smirks.
Max: Hmm.