First off, I'm sorry for not updating HP and the LotS but my muses and plot bunnies ran away. *No get back here... grrr... argh... Don't touch that* Anyway so this project has been at the back of my mind for some time.
Disclaimer: I do not own Alex Rider, for if I did there would be more K-Unit and I do not own Numb3rs for if I did then there would be more Colby in there. I never have and never will. Done and Done. I'm not rich here peoples, just a high schooler with too much time on her hands.
Ghosts of the Past
"What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not been discovered." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." - Robert F Kennedy
"I have seen war. I have seen war on land and sea. I have seen blood running from the wounded. I have seen the dead in the mud. I have seen cities destroyed. I have seen children starving. I have seen the agony of mothers and wives. I hate war." – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." - Oscar Wilde
"When you come to a roadblock, take a detour." - Mary Kay Ash
The office was surprisingly silent for it being mid morning. All the regular office buildings would by now have established their power over their workers, chaining them in until the evening. But this was the FBI headquarters of Los Angeles. It wasn't normal.
Alex glanced around the rows of cubicles and sporadically placed whiteboards with interest. He never had since much of Creative Ideas Animation or Centurion International Advertising, the CIA's offices in New York and Miami. Did they look like this? Was the director's office the same one that Byrne had in both locations?
His musings were cut short thanks to a girlish squeal from his guardian. Jack Starbright had insisted upon taking Alex with her when she went to visit her aunt in Los Angeles. Remembering what happened last time Jack left for America, Alex was only too happy to comply. So here he was, accompanying Jack to meet her aunt Megan who was going out to lunch with them. And based on Jack's excitement it looked as though she had spotted Megan.
"Jack!" A woman greeted. "It's so great to see you."
Jack's aunt looked to be about 35 years old with hair almost the same shade as Jack's. She was an average looking person, not too tall, just starting to gain wrinkles, and a friendly smile. But her eyes were wise, old, and powerful. Megan was quick to assess her niece, looking for injuries or anything else.
It seemed Jack was used to this. "Aunt Megan, I'm fine. I got here in one piece, so you can stop with that," she said exasperatedly.
Megan smiled apologetically. "I cannot help it Jack. You've been gone for so long. First you were only going over there for college, and then you ended up with a ward. Where is this charge of yours anyway?"
Jack turned around, noticing that Alex had stayed back, almost blending in to the wall of the cubicle behind him. She waved her hand, gesturing to come forwards.
Alex strode forward casually. He took Megan's outstretched hand, shaking it firmly. "Alex, Alex Rider, at your service miss."
Megan whistled. "Wow, you've got the James Bond thing down. Do you happen to save the world too?" She asked jokingly. Beside her Jack winced. Even though Megan didn't know it, she'd hit the truth spot on. Alex wasn't going to give that away though.
"Only when my schedule allows," He responded in an equally calm manner.
"I like him," Was her only response as she turned back to her niece. Jack breathed a sigh of relief.
Alex was only too happy to be left out of the conversation when the introductions were over. Megan was a psychologist profiler and who knew what she would be able to pick up on. He himself knew that he was no longer a child. At 16 he was far too much like a battle scarred soldier. But that was the way it had turned out. After about a year of trying to refuse MI6 he'd come to terms with his employers. They had worked something out with his school, Jack had been paid generously in advance, and he got at least a month between each mission.
The elevator chimed open and two men emerged. One was African American, the other Caucasian. Both were about medium build with muscle. The fair-haired one had obviously said something and he was grinning as the other laughed heartily. As they approached Megan caught sight of them. She smiled and waved them over.
"Alex, Jack, these are Special Agents Colby Granger and David Sinclair. David, Colby, this is my niece Jack and her charge Alex." She said motioning to each person she mentioned. Alex smiled and shook hands with both the agents.
"It's nice to meet you," he greeted.
"You're British," Colby stated. "But isn't Jack American?"
"Yes I am but I went to college in England and was hired to watch Alex when he was seven since his uncle, Ian, worked for a bank," Here Jack paused and she and Alex exchanged a look. "And traveled a lot. When Ian died two years ago, he left it in his will that I could stay on and watch Alex so I did."
"I decided that Jack needed to be updated in her heritage so I invited her and Alex over for a couple weeks. We were just about to go have lunch. Do you know where Don is? I was going to ask him if I could take a break," Megan inserted.
David and Colby paused, looking at each other. It seemed as though they were communicating silently for a couple second. David finally replied, "He's up with the director. Apparently that CIA operative is here to help us out on the case. I think Don's being introduced and briefing him right now."
Alex shared a second glance with Jack, this one filled with worry. CIA. Those three letters always spelled trouble for Alex. Hopefully he hadn't met this person and didn't need to be involved in what ever case the FBI were working on.
He quelled his fears though and started to engage David and Colby in a lively conversation while Megan and Jack still caught up. He didn't both to turn around when the elevator dinged open again and therefore didn't see Don and another man step out and move towards them. Which turned out to be a mistake. A very big one.
Megan, Colby, and David all greeted their boss with a general hello of, "Hey, Don."
Megan continued on with, "Don this is my niece Jack and her friend Alex. Remember I requested to have lunch with them today."
Don grimaced. He had forgotten. "Right just make sure you're back soon. We still have a lot of work to do on this case." He shook hands with Jack and then Alex. "Special Agent Don Eppes. Nice to meet you."
Alex got as far as Don's face and then his attention focused on the man standing beside Don. The man smiled at Alex, clearly as surprised to see Alex, as Alex was to see him. Alex however, paled dramatically and swore in every single language he knew, in his head of course.
"Ed Shulsky," Alex managed to get out.
"Alex Rider," Shulsky greeted back. Everyone else's conversation had stopped with this exchange. The FBI agents were curious as to how Alex knew someone from the CIA while Jack had began to feel her anger boil up. Before anyone had any idea what was happening Jack stepped forward, slapped the man, and stepped back, standing next to Alex with her arms crossed.
Don and Megan were about to speak up but Shulsky beat them to the punch.
"I probably deserved that."
"You bet your damn agency you did," Jack retorted. "That was for making Alex go up, when he almost got killed by an insane terrorist with a knife."
She looked like she was going to say more but Alex stopped her. "It's fine Jack, we all knew it had to be done"
"But Alex…"
He shook his head. Jack slumped, all the fight going out of her. "I hate it when you reason like that," She said ruefully.
"If it counts for anything," Shulsky put in, "Alex I'm sorry you had to do it. I'm also sorry that it basically also led to you dealing with Snakehead. Yes I know," He answered Alex's unspoken question. "I forced it out of Byrne after he told us that we weren't going to see you again. Tamara still wants to thank you, by the way. She's doing fine, the bullet wound healed up nicely. Paul Drevin is living with his mother too. He's fine as well."
Alex sighed. "Thanks Ed."
And it seemed like the conversation was dropped. However there was a powerful silence that made itself known. Jack finally decided to break it.
"Aunt Megan, can we get going. I'm starving." And with that, she dragged her aunt to the elevated. Alex followed at a more leisurely pace, shaking Shulsky's hand as he passed.
As the elevator clanged shut Don, Colby, and David continued to stare at Shulsky. He stared back, amused.
"Don't even both, you don't have high enough clearance to find out."
Done there. Finally. I warn you there will be more, when I get the chance to write more.