The Meeting on Liverpool Street by Emachinescat
A Hardy Boys and Alex Rider Crossover Fan-Fiction
SUMMARY: Two of the world's top secret government agencies, the Network and MI6, have decided to work together and team up their three teenage recruits. The only problem? Alan Blunt and Arthur E. Gray hate each other.
A/N: As for now, this is a one-shot, portraying what I believe might happen if Mr. Gray and Mr. Blunt decided they were going to make their teenage agents work together. I may eventually make a story of it depending on the kind of response I get. For now, it's a one-shot, though. Please REVIEW and enjoy! :)
The Meeting on Liverpool Street
The bank on Liverpool Street was fully operational. Hundreds of unsuspecting people held accounts at Royal & General Bank. There were dozens of employees tapping away in their own little cubicles, several more working as tellers at the long, marble front desk. If these workers had any inkling that the Royal & General Bank was a cover for anything out of the ordinary, they certainly hid it well.
Royal & General Bank on Liverpool Street in London, England was, in fact,a vital part of the British government, for hidden in the bowels of the large, normal-looking building was the headquarters for the top-secret British Intelligence spy group, MI6. Unbeknownst to Royal & General clients, another world was contained behind the lobby of the structure.
Today, a small gray man had arrived off of a gray plane and had rented a gray Sedan and driven to this bank, which was quite gray in its own right. He was not interested in setting up an account here; he was an American, and besides, he knew truth.
This man's name was unknown to everyone. He had gone by his code name, Arthur E. Gray, or "the Gray Man" for so long, that he was often surprised that he still remembered his own birth name. Arthur E. Gray had a specific purpose for flying to London on a rainy May Friday, and it had nothing to do with banking.
It did, however, have a great deal to do with top-secret intelligence.
Mr. Gray was the head over a large portion of a secret American government agency called the Network, whose cover was an insurance company that actually did not exist. He had received some news from one of his agents that had spurred him to take a spur-of-the-moment trip to Europe. If the rumor he had heard proved to be true, the results could be very bad indeed.
Now he found himself sitting across from his two least-favorite people in the world. Mrs. Jones was a tall, dark-haired woman in her mid-forties who always had a peppermint in her mouth. She was the second-in-command over MI6 Special Operations. Alan Blunt was the head of the intelligence group, and Arthur E. Gray had never met anyone he hated more.
Besides not trusting him (Mr. Gray never trusted anyone), Arthur Gray found the man patronizing, annoying, and he was possibly one of the only people on the planet who could make the American agent lose a grip on his well-controlled temper. Perhaps it was in the way he spoke, so confident and sure of himself all the time—as if the possibility that the Americans actually knew what they were talking about was ridiculous. Or maybe it was the way he tended to talk down to Gray, like a child.
Whatever the reason, Arthur E. Gray wore a neutral mask as he sat in front of Alan Blunt's desk, watching the plain, nondescript man (though nowhere near as dull and gray as himself) flip through a few files and Mrs. Jones suck on her silly peppermint. Finally, annoyed at being ignored after taking a private jet to London at the blink of an eye to meet with these people, Gray cleared his throat. Alan Blunt looked up, as if surprised to see him sitting there. Mrs. Jones sucked on her mint.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Arthur," Blunt said. "As you know, we may have a very delicate situation on our hands."
"Of course I know," Mr. Gray snapped. "Why else would I have flown to this blasted city? As much of a surprise that it may be to you, Alan, I do not exactly fancy regular visits to MI6. Now, about this information you have heard. Has it been verified?"
Alan Blunt nodded at Mrs. Jones, who immediately took a file and handed it to Arthur Gray. "You will find all the information, surveillance pictures, and other necessities in the file. The information could be consequential. But MI6 detests consequences. There is no proof that either of the people are directly involved with either terrorist group, but as you know, both the Network and MI6 have their suspicions. These two men are from two completely different sides of the world. The chances that they would just happen to meet for a bit of tea does not bode well for the world. Neither does this new co-collaboration they have announced. Both of these men are well-loved and respected, and the public adores them. We know better. Whatever they are planning involves teenagers, and the sooner we send agents in to figure out what is going on, the greater our chances of discovering what is going on and putting a stop to it."
Arthur Gray's eyes flew down the file, reading everything of importance. "As much as I hate to admit it, you are right," he said. "I am glad you had the presence to call me in—I have had more dealings with the Assassins than MI6 ever has. I will assist in any way that I can—including the agents you will need."
Mr. Blunt looked amused. "Mr. Gray, the project these men have put in place involve teenagers, from thirteen to eighteen. I know full well that the American government does not employ children to work as spies."
"No, we do not," Gray said, "but I have a couple of kids—seventeen and eighteen—that work for the Network on occasion—strictly off-record, if you know what I mean. Although they do not always approve of how the Network operates, they have willingly worked with us on many occasions and have always come out successful. They will be perfect for this assignment." The Gray Man deliberately failed to bring up the many times they had unwillingly cooperated—and sometimes outwitted—the Network.
"Be that as it may, Mr. Gray, I already have an agent that reluctantly works for us, but works for us all the same. He may not like being a spy, but he really has no choice in the matter—and he is perfect for this assignment. I do not need help finding workers; I called you in for any information you might have on the Assassins."
Arthur Gray glowered. "Need I remind you, Mr. Blunt, that this plan involves teenagers, and therefore, a teenager is needed to infiltrate the project?"
"You may find this hard to believe, Gray, but we have an agent who is perfect for the job. Mrs. Jones, if you would please show our guest Alex's file."
Still fuming, Arthur Gray began scanning the file as Alan Blunt began to highlight what was contained. "Alex Rider. Fourteen years old. His uncle was Ian Rider, one of our spies, now dead. Father: John Rider, also dead, our absolute best spy with the luck of the Devil, and Alex takes after him. We recruited him eight months ago. He has been on eight missions more or less for us since—two with the CIA, and one with the SAS—the Australian secret government. All successful. Because of his age and size, he is not suspicious. No one expects a fourteen-year-old to be a spy! But he is a spy, Mr. Gray, and a bloody good one at that." Alan Blunt rarely gave out compliments, so this boy must be as good as he said. Or maybe Blunt was just being annoyingly patronizing, trying to outdo Gray. Either way, it didn't matter, because the Gray Man had made up his mind.
"Fine, send in your agent. But I'll be contacting my two boys. They can go in together. Three spies instead of one. The odds of success will be much greater."
After discussing the rest of the details, the three dispersed, each intelligence group decided on their course of action.
The only problems: Alex Rider and Frank and Joe Hardy had not been told about this meeting. They had no idea that they were about to be used by their respective governments, yet again. And even people that like to see justice served do not like being used.
Arthur Gray and Alan Blunt knew this, of course. But they also knew that their agents would go along with their plan in the end. They always did.
A/N: Please review! I can just see this happening if they met up, and I HAD to write it... you know how it is when the plot bunnies attack. *grins* Like I said, I may eventually expand this into a chapter story depending on the response this gets. Please REVIEW!
~Emachinescat ^..^