A Haunting Past and New Beginning

By: Rielle

Disclaimer: I don't own Alex Rider or Teen Titans

The phone rang.

Alex paused.

Jack froze.

They stared.

"No. Do not answer that Alex." Jack demanded firmly, a furious expression on her face as she remembered how Alex was blackmailed by the ASIS.

Alex chewed his lip hesitantly, figuratively speaking, "It might be in important…"

"No!!" Jack yelled angrily as the phone continued to ring, "The world could be ending and you shouldn't worry about it Alex! You're only a child for god sakes!"

Alex gave a sigh before saying, "I should at least find out what the want."

"You know what they want."

Alex gave her an apologetic look as he answered the never ending ringing phone.

"Hello?"

"Alex Rider. We're sending a car to pick you up in ten minutes." A voice said before hanging up. Rude, abrupt, and blunt to the point. Wow. You think he'd be used to this by now. He wondered how they even knew it was he who answered the phone. The thought that they were watching him gave Alex chills even though he can't say he was too surprised.

"Alex?" asked Jack resigned with a sigh. Alex felt guilty. He knew what his "job" was doing to her. Or at least could imagine.

"They just wanted to talk Jack, nothing to worry about." Alex partly lied. Jack glared at him suspiciously before giving another defeated sigh and continuing cooking. Jack wasn't naïve; she knew Alex didn't really have a choice, which only, if possible, made the situation worse.

Almost exactly ten minutes later, Alex saw an 'inconspicuous' black car stop in front of their house. Alex left the house with a reassuring smile to Jack before opening the door to the 'inconspicuous' black car and getting in. The drive to the 'bank' was quiet and seemed to drag on. Alex didn't even attempt to make small talk with the driver in front of him, instead watching out through the heavily tinted windows.

The arrived at the bank and Alex hesitated a second before getting out. A searing pain briefly flashed across his chest, over his heart, as he purposely avoided the place where he got shot.

Entering the cool bank, Alex simply proceeded onward towards Blunt's office. As he opened the door, he saw Ms. Jones and Mr. Blunt sitting in the same spots as usual. The plain plank impersonal room still managing to give Alex the slight creeps. He approached and sat down in his usual chair, slightly horrified thinking of it as his 'usual' chair.

"Alex," Ms. Jones greeted.

Alex simply nodded in reply while Blunt continued staring at his files. Finally, Blunt looked up at Alex with the same blank expression.

"We're going to do an experiment on you," Mr. Blunt stated bluntly.

Alex blinked in shock, "Wait, what?"

Not that he was too surprised that they're doing an experiment, although he can't say he was expecting, but completely puzzled as to why they're telling him this out right.

"A harmless truth serum tested in the military a long time ago killed all its testers except one. Slade Wilson. He grew to hate the military because of it and later became known as Deathstroke the Terminator. A fearsome assassin, one of the best, and currently residing in Jump City. It was reported that he went crazy and died. That, obviously, was not true. He became stronger, faster, and smarter, he even heals quicker than normal people, and it's rumored that he lives longer. We have been trying to recreate the same results on our side for years, but Slade was unique. No one has survived other than him. We believe you can. Of course, we are going to give you a weaker dose, but we are confident you are going to survive. Just imagine the power our side would have. You would be unstoppable." Mr. Blunt stated.

Again, Alex blinked in surprise, the only sign that he was shocked.

…

"Fuck NO!" Alex yelled, "Why the hell are you even telling me all this!"

Alex of course suspected the answer. With all the madmen he faced, they never revealed their plans unless they were certain that there was nothing he could do about it. Alex couldn't help but be afraid.

"Because Alex," Mr. Blunt said, "We aren't giving you a choice."

Alex felt a sharp pain in his back as he realized that someone probably entered the room while he was yelling and shot a dart at him. He suddenly saw the ground and his vision began blackening at the edges. He knew from experience that there was nothing he could do. As Alex blacked out, he realized Ms. Jones didn't say anything other than to greet him. Usually he felt a bit reassured by the fact that Ms. Jones wouldn't purposely let Blunt put him in to much harm. But she neither stopped nor encouraged Blunt and his crazy scheme. He almost felt betrayed. After everything he'd done for them. After everything he's risked. Not only his life but the lives of his friends and Jack. And the lives of his mother, his father, his uncle. Everything they've done for them! He didn't expect to be drowned in gratitude but they could at least care or pretend to care about his well being.

Alex felt anger and sadness as his vision was consumed by darkness.. He never wanted this. He doesn't want to be some killing machine. His father chose this life, his uncle chose this life, but never him, He was thrust into it without a choice. Alex felt the sting of betrayal. He also felt sadness. He never really realized how alone he was. All his friends, or former friends, thought he was some druggie. All he really had was Jack and Tom. And they were probably in as much danger as he was because of him. Alex truly felt alone. And he realized that as long as he has enemies, he will always be alone. Any friends he make will always be in danger. And he realized that he will always have enemies. Scorpia, the remnants of Snakehead, even the Chinese triads. He will always be alone.

Muffled voices made their way to Alex. With experience from waking up to maniacs, Alex decided to keep his eyes closed. He didn't understand a word they said. Have they done the experiment yet? Just as Alex started pondering his question, the muffled voices became not so muffled.

"Yes, this dose is weaker than Slade's without a doubt. But the pain will not lessen. Nor the bouts of insanity that Slade was subjected to. We don't even know if the boy will survive. He's young. The pain will most likely be too much on him." A voice stated.

Alex couldn't help but feel a mixture of fear and apprehension at this. He sorely hoped that something would happen. That Blunt would for once in his life show some mercy. He was wrong.

"Just do it." Blunts cold hard blunt voice said.

"He could die."

"We shall see. There is no point talking about it. Give him the injection."

Once again, Alex was reminded of how cruel Blunt could be. To use him up and through him away.

His angry musings were cut short by a sharp pain in his right arm.

Then suddenly, all Alex felt was pain. Burning. All over his body. Alex couldn't feel anything but the fire. He couldn't tell up from down, he didn't even realize that he was bound shirtless to a cold hard metal table. He didn't realize he was screaming. He didn't realize he was thrashing around as much as the straps would let him. He just felt pain. Burning hot fire. He couldn't take it anymore! The doctor or scientist or whatever wasn't exaggerating when he said that Alex could die from the pain.

Alex wished he was dead.

Anything to make it stop. For the second time that day, he felt himself going into unconsciousness. His last thought as he passed out from the pain was anger, and that he would make Blunt and Jones pay and regret the day they decided to mess with him.

Alex saw red as he opened his eyes and saw Blunt and Jones above him looking at him like a lab rat. Something inside him burst.

Red. Rage. Anger.

He didn't register the fact that he was somehow unbound. He didn't register the fact that his body was sore or that it hurt horribly to even move. He didn't register the fact that he just snapped someone neck. He didn't register the fact that he was covered in blood. He didn't hear the resounding screams of pure fear. He didn't feel the life of two people in his hands.

He didn't hesitate.

He didn't falter.

He didn't feel.

All he saw was Red, Rage, and Anger.