Disclaimer: Anthony Horowitz has way better things to do than write fanfiction. I, on the other hand, just want to find something to do other than study for tests.
"The men you have requested to meet have just arrived, sir." Mrs. Jones' robot-like voice echoed unnecessarily through the small office that belonged to the newly appointed head of MI6 as she spoke. The office that had once belonged to a Mr. Blunt now belonged to a prodigy spy who was considered extremely young given his profession, despite the fact that he had been working in this profession since he was fourteen; he was now a grown 25-year-old man with a degree in politics, and was considered somewhat of a god among his peers and coworkers for having survived over ten years of spying. The man, whose name was Alex Rider, nodded and to show he had heard her words, but most of the man's concentration was focused primarily on the pertinent stack of paperwork that currently needed his seal of approval on his desk in front of him.
"Send them in, please, Mrs. Jones." His reply, although spoken quietly and softly, was heard and acknowledged by her. His secretary opened the door. There stood K-unit, along with Agent Ben Daniels, or Fox, in all their glory. Or as much glory as men about to retire from the SAS and MI6 in a year or two could muster, anyway. Alex looked up at them with an emotionless disinterest as the quartet stepped into the room hesitantly, taking in the sight of the boring gray walls and standard office furnishings.
"Good afternoon, I'd ask you gentlemen to take a seat, but I'm afraid that there aren't enough chairs in here for all of you." They looked at him, jaws dropping. Needless to say, they were surprised to see the man they had known as a teen in the SAS wearing an expensive-looking gray striped business suit sitting behind the desk that belonged to the head of the MI6 special operations branch.
A wry, dry, and humorless smile found its way onto Alex's lips despite himself as he observed their astonishment. Mrs. Jones remained impassive; most men that had come to see Alex had generally been at first surprised at the sight of the relatively normal-looking man signing relatively normal-looking paperwork and documents. Most were also surprised at his relatively young age, as most agents were only just recruited at the age of 25. Some even had the audacity to openly challenge the man and accuse him of being incapable of handling the job.
"I suggest closing your mouths, my good fellows, or you might invite some bees to make their hives there. Perhaps there is also a fly around here that would like to use the loo, too." His voice was laced with a slight tinge of amusement. Finally, Eagle broke the silence.
"No way, Cub. You're the new prodigy head of the MI6 they've all been talking about?" Eagle's voice was incredulous as it voiced the question they were all desperately dying to ask. The rest of the men gave him dirty looks, reproaching him for his lack of tact. An eyebrow was raised slightly on Alex's face. It was never a good thing to have information on the MI6 running around amok. He gave Mrs. Jones a look out of the corner of his eye and she inclined her head towards him imperceptibly, unnoticed by the men. She understood him and would handle the rumors as best as she could. Satisfied, Alex gave Eagle a polite reply without giving away too much information.
"Please, Eagle you flatter me so. Also, I'd like you to refer to me as Mr. Rider." Alex spoke. Then he turned to Mrs. Jones. "Would you like to brief them, Mrs. Jones, or do you prefer having me do it?" She raised an eyebrow at the question. Alan Blunt, her former boss, had never bothered to ask her a question similar like that before. He had always assumed that she knew what to do, which she had. In fairness, Mrs. Jones and Mr. Blunt had worked together for the past few years.
"I'll do it, sir."Alex nodded and signed the form he had previously been reading. The dark-haired woman turned to brief the men.
"About a fortnight ago, Mr. Rider's family received a threat by mail. It was from Scorpia. The very next day, his house was attacked; he was here at work and his wife died protecting their young child." At her words, uneasy looks were exchanged between the four men. They all heard about Scorpia and their nefarious and malevolent activities; it was one of the most infamous terrorist groups known to everybody. Their name would often crop up whenever the criminal underworld was was spoken of, and the legendary stories of how a mysterious MI6 agent had infiltrated them and almost succeeded in destroying them were passed around like a beer bottle or a pack of smoke among colleagues.
"Should you choose to accept this mission, it would be to protect his five-year old child, a young girl named Amanda Perenelle Rider. She is currently being home schooled by a trusted tutor, who is well-versed in martial arts; because of this Mr. Rider has handpicked him, so as to ensure that she is safer. This will also make protecting her easier."
Then Wolf interrupted. "Why is this mission being offerred to K-unit? It's usually an unwritten rule, but the SAS and MI6 generally don't mix unless the situation calls for it." His voice was impatient as he waited for an answer; after all, he was a no-nonsense kind of man. The men in the SAS were known for ruthlessness and gruffness and precision; they weren't known for their manners or patience. This time, Mr. Rider looked up from the document he was currently in the middle of signing and was the one who answered his question.
"I'm not taking any chances with my Amanda's security, Wolf. K-unit here is one of the best, along with Agent Daniels; also, the fact that I have met you all and know you on a somewhat personal basis makes you men viable candidates for this assignment." His voice was cool and detached, as Mr. Blunt's had been, but the words had an underlying message that was clear as diamonds and was not missed by any in the room, including Mrs. Jones: Please! I don't want anything to happen to her.
"I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I'm accepting the mission." Ben's voice was loud and clear, and he flashed a tentative smile at Alex, who offerred a small one devoid of emotion in return. Wolf grunted and turned to face Snake and Eagle.
"What do you guys think?" He asked, as was the custom. The fact that he always asked for the team's input before making an important decision was what made him one of the best unit leaders. Alex appreciated this effort to promote teamwork and mentally nodded his approval of the elder man's actions. He himself had worked in a group before with other agents from various other countries and spy agencies on several of his numerous adrenaline-pumping missions. Working in a fully-functioning team was an art that he had mastered long ago, even if he did prefer solo missions. That way, you didn't have to worry about your teammates, just yourself.
Snake shrugged. "We've done worse missions before. Taking care of a little kid will be a cinch." Eagle nodded in agreement. Mrs. Jones gave them an empty smile and Alex nodded his thanks to the men. Amanda's security had always been a topic of major concern to the man, and now he could put her in the safe and very capable hands of 3 SAS men and a MI6 agent.
"Your assignment will start tomorrow; Amanda will meet you in the lobby of this building with her father." Mrs. Jones dismissed them and they nodded their goodbyes, leaving the two government officials in the room to deal with the paperwork.