Target Earth (S2E7): Missing Scenes

Disclaimer:  I do not own either of the Mission: Impossible series or any of the characters therein.  I receive no compensation or any other tangible benefit from this story.  I am just a fan who enjoys taking the team out for an adventure every now and then.  🙂

*****

Nearly every person at Eurospace Base stood with their mouths agape, watching in awe as Frontier One ascended into orbit with Doctor Matthew Rhine and Shannon -- alias Doctor Judith Rand -- aboard.  The scene was soon interrupted by a half dozen armed men in camouflage fatigues and burgundy berets storming into the control center, one of them peppering the ceiling with machine gun fire and causing nearly everyone to duck for cover. 

Grant attempted to shield Alina from the gunfire, but she wrenched out of his grasp.  He glared at her in surprise.

"What is going on here?" Sovolev demanded, as a tall, dark-skinned man with a pockmarked face strolled into the room, an air of confidence in his gait.

"This base is now under the control of the Liberation Forces of General Robard," Alina announced, while Robard's men trained their weapons on various members of the crowd. "Welcome, sir."

"You betrayed us!" Sovolev exclaimed to Alina.  Immediately, one of Robard's men thrust the grip end of his weapon into Sovolev's midsection, then struck him in the back, knocking him to the floor.

Max instinctively rose up and rounded a corner to offer assistance to the base commander, but the same henchman struck the blond agent across the left side of his face with his gun.

"Hey!" Grant exclaimed as Max fell.  Jim scowled and started toward his teammate, but was stopped cold by another of Robard's armed men.

The commotion was then interrupted by Matthew Rhine's voice.  "Welcome to Eurospace Base, General Robard."

An angry look crossed Robard's face as he realized that Judith Rand was still alive and sitting in the cockpit beside Rhine.  "Are you in full control?" the general inquired.

"I am," answered Rhine.

"Who was that?"  Shannon asked.

"That woman was to be killed," said Robard.

"Ah, it's okay," Rhine advised.  "Alina decided I could use a laser expert."

Robard turned to his right to glare at the blonde engineer, who smiled confidently.  "Very well," he acknowledged.  "Proceed with the mission."

"What do you want from us?" Jim questioned, stepping forward.  But he was stopped abruptly by the henchman, who wielded his gun across Jim's chest.

Robard put his finger to his lips.  "Quiet," he answered.  He put a cigarette to his lips, which was promptly lit by one of his men, then began to look through the personnel files.

"Doctor Andrew Limon, NASA.  Correct?"  He looked up at Jim for verification.  Jim nodded, and Robard laid the page to one side.

"Doctors England...?"  Nicholas nodded.

"...and Doctor Bell?"

"Doctor Bell.  That's right," replied Grant, an air of hostility in his voice.

Robert glared at Grant.  "An educated man of color should not allow himself to be used."

Grant moved his head and thrust his hands into his pockets, his wrath toward Robard barely concealed.

The stone-faced general looked down at Max, who was still on his knees and propped on a nearby piece of equipment.  "You," he signaled.  "What is your function?"

"Technical safety," Max replied breathlessly, turning his head slightly toward the general but without meeting his eyes.

"Then you will continue in that role," he instructed.  He turned to look at Alina.  "Doctor Sovalev?"

Alina nodded her head and made a slight sound to indicate the man who had been attacked by Robard's henchman and who was still lying in a heap in the floor.  Robard glanced down at him briefly, then looked up to address the crowd.

"The Force I represent is now in command of this Base," he announced.

"What Force is that?"  Nicholas asked, with a slightly sarcastic emphasis on the word. 

In seconds, one of Robard's men stepped forward and thrust his weapon into Nicholas' stomach.  He bent forward with a loud groan.

Max, angry and wide-eyed, immediately got to his feet, and Grant stepped forward to stand at Max's left shoulder.  Both men were itching to come to their teammate's aid, but the threat of being beaten or fired upon held them fast.  Instead, they watched helplessly as Nicholas slowly rose back to his feet, the pain still evident on his face.

"You're all required to support Doctor Rhine in every capacity."  Robard addressed the crowd once more.  "Disobedience will be punished.  Saboteurs will be executed."

The general then turned to face Alina.  "You performed your duties in eliminating Bergerac but you failed to kill Judith Rand," he stated.  "Doctor Rhine was then forced to launch without full preparation."

"It seemed more efficent to make use of her," Alina responded.  "And the liftoff was successful."

"But you made a vital decision without consulting me."  He took one more drag from his cigarette, threw it in the floor, and stepped on it.  Then he took out a small handgun and unceremoniously shot Alina in the chest, prompting gasps from the onlookers and causing Nicholas and Jim to both jump, as Alina screamed and fell to the floor.

"As I said," he continued, turning once again to face the now terrified crowd, "disobedience will be punished."

"General Robard," said Grant.  When Robard glared at him, he reluctantly added, "sir.  I run a constant biocheck on the crew," he reported, waving his right arm for emphasis.  "Make sure that they stay healthy."

"Then you will continue to do so, Doctor Bell, with your personnel," Robard replied.  "You will report to me regularly here."

Grant furrowed his brow and sighed heavily.  "Yes, sir," he acknowledged, his voice barely a whisper, then he grasped Max's left arm briefly as an unspoken signal before turning back toward the biolab.  Max cast a fleeting glance at General Robard, then he followed Grant.

*****

Once the biolab door was closed behind them, Grant looked at Max.

"You all right, man?" he asked, his voice dripping with concern, as he put on his headset.  "That blow to the face had to hurt."

"Yeah," the blond agent answered, reaching up to gingerly rub his left cheek.  He paced around the room, pretending to busy himself with safety checks in case Robard or his men were looking through the windows.  "How are we going to get rid of this clown?" he mused aloud.

"Jim and Nicholas should be back here soon," Grant replied.  "After all, they are part of my personnel."  He looked up at Max.  "I'm sure Jim is already working on a plan," he said, trying but failing somewhat to sound reassuring.  They had anticipated that there might be a terrorist plot connected with the Eurospace mission.  But this turn of events had surprised them all.

After another moment, Max sighed heavily.  "I guess I'd better get back out there before they get suspicious."

As he started toward the biolab door, it opened, and Jim and Nicholas entered.  Max, recalling how Nicholas had been hit earlier, studied his friend's features.  He still looks a little pale, Max thought worriedly.

"You okay?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Nicholas answered, smiling slightly at Max's concern before sobering once again.  "How's your head?"

"I'm all right," Max assured him, though in truth his head was still pounding.  He grinned at the dark-haired agent.  "There'll probably be a bruise later."

What else is new? said Nicholas to himself, recalling the many missions in which Max had taken a beating -- mostly, it seemed, to the left side of his face -- and smiling absently at the memories.

Max placed his hand on the doorknob, but stopped at his team leader's voice.

"Max."

"Yeah, Jim?"

"See if there's anything out there we can use to put Robard out of commission," Jim requested.

"Right," Max acknowledged.  "You guys take care of Shannon."  Then the blond agent left the biolab.

The End.

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