"The lens might be a little uncomfortable." Jane was telling Brandt as she carefully stuck the camera lens into Brandt's eye. "It captures images and transmits them to the printer in the briefcase."

Kat was sitting on the couch across from them, holding an icepack to Ethan's head in an attempt to prevent any swelling or bruising while he finished buttoning up his shirt, back in his sleek suit. Brandt blinked, frowning as he groaned while his left eye twitched, trying to adjust to the lens.

"All right?" Jane checked, and Kat glanced over as Brandt continued to blink uncomfortably.

Brandt hummed, scrunching his nose slightly as he answered: "I can't see out of one eye but it's fine."

Kat hid a small grin at his words while Jane fetched the test paper, though apparently not well enough; Ethan chuckled at her while Brandt also caught her eye and he gave her one of his boyish grins.

"Blink twice to activate the shutter." Jane ordered as she held up the test paper, which read: 'test copy' followed by a series of numbers from 0 to 9. Brandt did as she said, blinking twice as he stared at the paper.

"Notice, the numbers are in order." Jane pointed out as Brandt finished blinking and she turned to pick up the page that had slid out of the printer in their fake briefcase.

"A perfect copy." She pointed out as she held up the printed copy for Brandt to see. "But the numbers are scrambled."

Kat peered around Jane to see it was indeed the same in everything except for the numbers, which were no longer in order.

"Masks?" Ethan called as he started buttoning his cuffs, now that they knew the camera worked, and Benji confirmed: "Uh, 60 seconds."

Kat moved to button Ethan's other cuff, trying to save them some time while Benji asked Ethan hopefully: "Are you sure that I shouldn't wear a mask? You know, cause I'm not exactly Omar Sharif."

Ethan gave him a look of complete disbelief and Benji quickly finished: "I'll play it French. This," he handed Ethan what looked like a smart phone with a tracker switched on, "is your tracking device. This is what you're tracking."

He held up a few sheets of paper held together with a-

"The paper clip?" Ethan asked as he took the papers and looked at the object in question.

"No, it's the paper." Benji corrected. "It's in the briefcase. It's coated with isotopes, which give off a unique..."

He trailed off at Ethan's blank and slightly impatient look although Kat had looked over with interest, having finished straightening Ethan's cuffs. While Benji appreciated that she seemed to be impressed by his technical explanation, he explained simply to Ethan to save time: "It just means that you can track the documents, even if they switch briefcases."

"Range?" Ethan cut in, and Benji replied a little apologetically: "Not that good, like half a mile. Safest thing would be to not let Wistrom out of your sight- Is that Wistrom?"

He suddenly shifted topics, staring at the computer. Kat quickly moved out of the way as Ethan moved to stare at the computer where they could see Wistrom entering the hotel lobby, another man in tow at his side.

"Who's that with him?" Ethan demanded with a frown, and Benji shrugged helplessly as he admitted: "I don't know. We don't have an uplink, so there's no facial recognition."

Ethan picked up the laptop, moving quickly to show it to Brandt as he asked the analyst: "Who's that with him?"

Jane walked out of the bedroom, freshened up and ready after their almost disaster with the window just as Brandt replied, squinting at the computer: "That's Leonid Lisenker. Polish-born cryptographer. He redesigned Russia's nuclear security at the Cold War."

All of their faces drained as they realized.

"He's here to authenticate the launch codes." Jane murmured.

"Yes he is, we are blown." Brandt muttered, turning to Ethan, and Kat frowned as Ethan muttered, his brows furrowed in deep thought: "No, no, no."

"Well, we will be," Brandt pointed out, "as soon as he sees the counterfeit launch codes."

"We're not blown." Ethan replied shortly as he turned away from Brandt, his eyes flitting around as he thought of a way out of their dilemma.

"He's in the elevator." Kat told him as she glanced at the computer screen, and Ethan ordered Benji.

"Delay them."

Kat watched as Benji typed quickly, making Wistrom's elevator pause at the 14th floor, and the doors opened with a ding.

"Benji, how long would take it reprogram the case?" Ethan asked suddenly, and Benji replied absently: "Uh, a couple seconds. Why," he asked with a frown as Ethan's words sank in, "what for?"

"To make an exact copy of the launch codes." Ethan replied and they all turned to him in shock.

"What?!" Jane demanded as Brandt said in horror: "You can't do that."

"Wistrom's on 22." Benji said urgently, and Ethan ordered as he continued to think: "Slow him down."

"I'll do what I can." Benji muttered as he made Wistrom's elevator stop at 24 again.

Kat watched anxiously as Wistrom pushed the elevator buttons impatiently while Brandt said to Ethan urgently: "No, wait... Ethan, we... Hang on now! Hang on just a second."

Ethan held up a hand to silence the other man, but Brandt continued, protesting: "You're... You're talking about handing over active nuclear launch codes to Winstrom?"

"Yes." Ethan replied shortly before ordering Benji. "Reprogram the case."

Benji moved to grab the case, but Brandt moved between Benji and the case as he said sharply: "No, listen. Will you... Stop, stop!"

Benji paused, glancing between the two men uncertainly as Brandt said to Ethan urgently: "Just listen to what you're saying. You're fixating. You're not thinking clearly."

"Yeah," Ethan muttered as he moved to grab the case himself, "just..."

"This is..." Brandt snatched the case, backing away from Ethan as he said firmly: "It's not gonna happen. I won't let it."

He held the case out the open window, and Ethan paused. The two men locked eyes in a battle of wills as Benji and Jane watched uncertainly when Kat called, her eyes on the computer screen: "He's at 33."

"And climbing." Benji added as he too glanced down at the screen.

"Brandt, use your head now." Ethan urged firmly. "The mission is not the codes. The mission is Hendricks."

"The just let it play out." Brandt countered. "Give him bad codes. Neutralize him."

The other three watched anxiously, their eyes flickering between the two men as though watching a tennis match as Ethan pointed out: "You know that won't do it. Failure to a terrorist is just a rehearsal for success."

Brandt's brows furrowed even as his grip on the case tightened, while Benji called nervously: "41!"

Ethan and Brandt didn't even acknowledge his call as Ethan said to Brandt seriously: "We lose Hendricks today, he shows up somewhere else tomorrow. He finds another way, with no IMF to stop him. No. It's now or never."

He held out a hand towards the case as he ordered: "Now, Brandt, give me the case."

"Nothing," Brandt retorted as he held the case further away from Ethan, "can be left to chance. You said that."

"You're the analyst." Ethan countered. "Now, tell me there's not another way for Hendricks to get those codes."

"50!" Benji cried anxiously, but again the pair at the window ignored him as Ethan continued: "You tell me that this is his only avenue, right here, right now, today. You tell me that, I'll walk away."

Brandt hesitated, before they all flinched as there was a sharp buzzing from behind, Kat jumping about a foot into the air in surprise. They all whipped around to where the noise was coming from and Kat's heart sank as she stared at the mask machine as it made a strange grinding sound and beeped warningly. She was no expert... but she was pretty sure it wasn't supposed to make that sound.

Jane moved to check and her face said it all as she looked at Ethan. Kat glanced back at him and Brandt, seeing Ethan turn away with a thoughtful frown on his face, already trying to think of an alternative while Brandt's face scrunched unhappily.

"We go without." Ethan ordered sharply, and Kat's mouth fell open while Benji cried in disbelief: "Without masks?!"

"Jane needs to go." Ethan pointed out, and Jane protested: "Ethan."

"We have no choice." Ethan said firmly and Kat's brows knit while Jane protested: "Ethan! You'd be walking in on Moreau unarmed. Face-first. Literally."

Kat glanced at Brandt, and he caught her gaze. He stared at her with his brows furrowing as she glanced meaningfully at the case while Ethan turned to Jane, asking pointedly: "How do we know they've met?"

Kat shook her head at Brandt and he pulled another grimace as they ended their silent conversation while Jane retorted to Ethan: "How do we know they haven't?"

"Doesn't matter!" Brandt snapped as he turned back to Ethan.

The other man turned back to him as Jane looked on incredulously while Brandt muttered unhappily: "Damn it."

He handed the case back over to Ethan as he said resignedly: "We have no choice."

Ethan took the case with a grim look, tossing it to Benji as Brandt glanced back over at Kat, who was gnawing her lip again. She'd thought through every scenario she could, and she'd seen Brandt desperately doing the same. Both had come up with nothing, and it left them with no alternative.

As Benji worked on changing the case, Jane hurriedly slipped on her shoes and Ethan slipped on his jacket as Kat handed Brandt his.

"There's no other way." She said quietly and he almost snapped back: "I know that."

She didn't say any more after that, just let him go silently as he followed Ethan to the door while Jane grabbed the case as Benji finished resetting it. The three walked out quickly, the two men heading swiftly for the stairs down to the floor below where Moreau was while Jane strode to the room they'd prepared for her meeting with Wistrom. Right above Moreau's room.

Kat sat at the computers as Benji moved to get ready in the bedroom, changing into the yellow hotel uniform. She clutched the walkie-talkie - which would be Benji's method of communication when he got back from his part of the plan since they couldn't risk an earpiece with him – just for something to cling to. She watched anxiously as Jane moved about her room swiftly, resetting it to look like the rooms on the 118th floor, while Wistrom and Leonid walked out of their elevator.

Ethan and Brandt had arrived outside Moreau's room at almost the same time Wistrom and Leonid arrived outside Jane's room, and Kat's hands tightened anxiously around the comm unit as Ethan knocked on Moreau's door while Wistrom knocked on Jane's.

"Goggles." Brandt whispered and Kat's breath caught as she watched Ethan quickly whip the goggles off from around his neck, tucking them into his suit jacket.

"What if they have met?" Brandt hissed under his breath, but then the door opened and he quickly shut his mouth, his face set in a neutral expression as he and Ethan were let in by one of Moreau's guards.

Meanwhile, exactly one floor above, Jane opened the door to let Wistrom into her suite, saying pleasantly: "Come in."

Kat watched worriedly as Ethan and Brandt walked slowly into Moreau's room where the woman herself was standing in the centre of her sitting room. Her eyes travelled over first Ethan and then Brandt's faces, and Kat honestly thought her heart would give out it was beating so quickly.

She breathed a sigh in relief as she heard Moreau through her ear comm when the woman demanded in a thick accent: "Which of one you is Wistrom?"

Jane also appeared relieved although she didn't betray anything as she repeated Moreau's question to Wistrom and Leonid in a fake, heavy accent: "Which one of you is Wistrom?"

"I am." Ethan and Wistrom answered at almost the exact same moment, both men reaching out their hands to their respective meeting partners in a polite greeting.

Kat watched, feeling only slightly more relaxed as she heard Wistrom add to Jane: "I admire your work."

"I'm going." Benji murmured to Kat, and she nodded, not taking her eyes off the computer as Benji left, rolling the teacart they'd prepared for him. She watched anxiously as Moreau's guards patted Ethan and Brandt down, checking them for weapons while Moreau took a seat on the couch.

"Sit." Moreau ordered when her guards stepped away from Ethan and Brandt, satisfied they weren't hiding any weapons. Her guards flanked her on both sides as Ethan and Brandt sank into the armchairs she gestured at.

"Where are my codes?" Ethan asked as he sat, and Moreau smiled slightly as she returned: "Where are my diamonds?"

Ethan gave a small, sly smile as he replied briefly: "Close by."

Jane had been listening to the exchange, and Kat watched as the agent asked Wistrom: "You have my payment?"

"When I see the codes." Wistrom answered from where he was sitting across from Jane.

There was a knock on the door and Wistrom immediately jumped up, his hand reaching inside his jacket but Jane lifted her hands in a placating manner as she soothed: "Not to worry. Come in!" She called.

Kat's heart was beating rapidly once more as she watched Benji enter Jane's room, the woman explaining to Wistrom: "I thought we could have tea."

Leonid's eyes were darting around fearfully while Wistrom eyed Benji suspiciously, but the man just smiled as he greeted Jane in a slight French accent: "Mademoiselle."

Benji nodded at Wistrom, adding: "Monsieur."

Kat sighed in relief as Wistrom slowly removed his hand from his jacket and sat back down, before she turned her attention to Ethan's room as Moreau said flatly: "No diamonds, no codes."

"No codes, no diamonds." Ethan countered and Kat waited, seeing the way Moreau's eyes seemed to narrow.

"Kill this one." She ordered abruptly, pointing at Brandt and Kat tensed as Brandt flinched slightly in surprise when one of Moreau's guards reached for his gun.

"We didn't come alone." Ethan said calmly and Moreau lifted a hand to stop her guard. "That hallway out there is killbox."

"You know who we work for." Brandt added, his tone flat, and Moreau watched them, her lips slightly pursed in thought as Ethan finished: "We come back with the codes, or we don't come back."

Kat watched anxiously, her knuckles going white she was holding her comm so tightly, as Moreau smirked before she asked: "How good is your backup?"

"The best." Brandt replied without missing a beat and Kat watched as Moreau chuckled slightly.

"I've killed the best." She said with a smug, confident air about her that caused a shiver of fear to go down Kat's spine at the sound of the voice so close to her ear.

Kat's eyes flickered over to Jane worriedly, noting the way she seemed just slightly on edge at Moreau's words. Benji had clearly noticed the same thing, and he asked Wistrom, trying to draw the man's attention: "Do you care for some sugar?"

Wistrom lifted a hand, calmly refusing as he watched Jan impatiently, while Ethan said to Moreau firmly: "Enough. Let's get this done."

He leveled a look at Moreau as he stated: "You want payment? I want guarantees."

Moreau was watching Brandt curiously as the man lightly touched under his left eye, the lens clearly bothering him, but Ethan drew Moreau's attention as he said calmly: "When he's authenticated the codes," he nodded at Brandt, "I'll make the call and you get your diamonds. That, or we all go home in buckets. Nobody leaves this hotel alive."

Moreau examined Ethan for another moment, Ethan meeting her gaze defiantly. Kat leaned in, watching as Moreau weighed the options before her, worried about the time as every second counted at the moment.

"Get the papers." Moreau ordered last, and one of her guards left the room, going to her bedroom as she turned her cool gaze back to Ethan.

Meanwhile, Jane had handed over their case to Wistrom, after having delayed as long as she could and Wistrom handed over the small pouch full of tiny diamonds. Kat glanced over at Jane's screen, watching anxiously as Jane carefully checked the diamonds before slipping them back into the pouch while Wistrom clicked at the case with a frown.

He leveled a look at Jane, which she caught and the woman asked coolly as she placed the pouch on the edge of the coffee table: "Is there a problem?"

Wistrom dropped the case back onto his lap as he almost accused: "It's locked."

Jane pretended to frown and she got up, moving to check the case while effectively blocking the men's view of Benji as he slipped one hand out from under the fake arm in the attendant uniform, grabbing the diamond pouch and pouring it into the milk jug on the teacart as Jane said apologetically: "Ah forgive me. There must be a key."

Benji turned back, slipping the now empty pouch back on the coffee table before sneaking his hand back under his uniform.

"One moment." Jane excused as she moved towards the bedroom, and Benji greeted as he left with a small bow: "Monsieurs."

Wistrom barely gave the other man a glance as Benji left, although Leonid frowned slightly as he watched the attendant maneuver the cart one-handed. Kat watched with bated breath, exhaling in relief as Benji left the room successfully before quickly rolling the cart away, pulling out his fake arm and stuffing it under the cart as he went. She turned her eyes back to Moreau's room, watching as Brandt carefully flipped through each page of codes, making sure to blink twice as he 'checked' each page.

Kat tensed as Moreau frowned slightly, her eyes narrowing just slightly as she seemed to examine Brandt. But Moreau didn't say or do anything, so Kat turned away, glancing over to watch as Jane walked back into the living room of her suite, having stalled as long as she could without being too suspicious.

"Ohh, my mistake." Jane said to Wistrom as she walked in. "It is a combination," she flipped a secret latch to reveal the combination pad, "not a key."

She made to take the case to input the code, but Wistrom withdrew the case from her hands, his gaze and tone hard as he replied coldly: "You tell me the numbers."

Jane pretended to raise a brow in offense to his reaction, but she coolly turned making to return to her seat and stalling for any extra second that she could.

"They're good." Brandt said as he finished with the papers, and Kat let out the breath she hadn't known she'd been holding while Jane said at Brandt's signal: "Zero."

Wistrom twirled the dials as Jane continued: "Zero."

The smirk on Jane's face as she settled in her chair was too perfectly genuine to be an act as she finished: "Zero."

Wistrom gave her an unamused glare before he opened the case. Kat glanced between the two screens anxiously, starting to worry about timing as Wistrom handed the papers over to Leonid while Ethan called Benji, his signal to bring the diamonds.

Kat bit her lip anxiously, waiting to see Benji's progress as he quickly wiped the diamonds clean while trying to get the elevator to take him downstairs. Kat saw it about to stop and quickly typed onto Benji's computer, making it miss the couple who'd wanted to go to the observation deck and reach Benji first. He got in quickly heading down to meet Ethan while Leonid checked the codes in Jane's room.

Benji knocked on Moreau's door just as Leonid reached the last page and Kat chewed her lip raw as she