Well, here I am, starting another Alex Rider fic. I think I might be too deep into this fandom (I've read over 400k words of fics in the past two or three days). But, really, there are much worse fandoms to be this deep into.
This is set in the universe of my other AR fics but can be read without reading those first.
Agent Williams adjusts his glasses, causing the video feed on Smithers's computer screen to shake for a moment. "Watch it," Smithers warns. He taps several keys before the static disappears completely. "We need a steady feed."
"Sorry," comes the reply through a speaker sitting next to the computer. "I'm not used to wearing glasses."
"It's alright. Just be careful. They're only prototypes, after all."
The agent leans against a wall and casually looks around. Smithers's camera picks up all of it.
As a meeting place, it isn't anything special. Smithers has to admit, he had almost been expecting something better from Deathmask. He supposes no one is perfect.
Suddenly, without any sound or other warning, Deathmask is there when Agent Williams turns to his left. The video feed jumps noticeably as the agent recoils. Or maybe Smithers is the one who jumped. He's not completely sure. What he is sure of is that Deathmask deserves his name.
A mask with the image of a grinning skull looks at Agent Williams.
"MI6 agreed?" The voice makes Smithers shiver. He knows the skull is just a mask, but the voice, cold and deadly, matches it so well it could be real.
"Yes. I have the money. Where's the agent?"
"I want to see my money first," Deathmask says, casually twirling a knife in his left hand. He handles it perfectly-terrifyingly.
Agent Williams nods and opens the bag he's been carrying. Deathmask looks down and nods. "Alright. Follow me."
"F-follow you?" Agent Williams manages, obviously surprised.
"You heard me. You want your agent back, don't you? Now you can take her back yourself." He's still spinning the knife as he starts walking.
Smithers frowns. This isn't part of the agreement. "Be careful, Williams," he mutters.
Deathmask looks back, and Agent Williams immediately starts walking. "Where are we going?"
"I told you. Your agent. Now stop talking. I..." He trails off and stops walking suddenly. The knife, however, continues to spin. "You're transmitting. And receiving. Part of the deal was that I'd be unmonitored," he says, voice quiet yet incredibly dangerous.
Smithers freezes. How on earth can Deathmask tell? His transmissions are disguised as perfectly normal radio signals. They should be impossible to detect.
"Remove your earpiece. And your mic," Deathmask orders, his knife pointing straight at Agent Williams's heart.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Fine. Keep them in, then." Deathmask lunges forward and traps the agent against the nearest building. Agent Williams tries to fight him off, but Deathmask is faster and stronger than anyone Smithers has ever seen.
Smithers sends an immediate alert to Mrs. Jones. This is bad. This is worse than bad. This is a disaster.
"Hey there, MI6!" Deathmask says loudly. Agent Williams lets out a small gasp of pain. "Seems to me like you've broken our terms. Personally, I count that as permission."
"Please...I'll-I'll get rid of them," Agent Williams gasps. From the sound of it, there's a knife to his neck.
"Shut up," the assassin snaps, and punches him. The glasses fall to the ground.
Somehow, the camera still works. It can see Deathmask's face, but barely. Only the mask is in the way.
"Looks like you've sent another agent to their death," the assassin hisses.
Agent Williams struggles, but to no avail. "Please, you don't have to kill me," he begs. "You can just let me go. You don't need to do this. Take the money."
"You're right. I don't have a good reason to kill you." Deathmask pauses for a moment, considering. Then, suddenly, he yanks off his mask. Smithers gasps. Deathmask must not have realized there was a camera. "Oh, look. You've seen my face. Now I do. Say goodbye, MI6."
Smithers looks away as the assassin stabs Agent Williams, but he can't escape the horrible gurgling gasps.
"Consider your other agent dead as well. Never contact me again," Deathmask says angrily. Smithers still isn't watching. He feels like he might be sick.
Suddenly, Mrs. Jones shows up. "What is it, Smithers?" she asks.
His face must show something. She hurries over, staring at the monitor. "He's dead, isn't he?"
Smithers nods and forces himself to turn back around. Deathmask is gone, and so is the bag of cash.
"Did you see anything?" she asks.
"Just a moment," Smithers replies. He takes a deep breath and rewinds the video. There are only a few seconds where Deathmask's face is visible at all, and it's too blurry to do much good. Smithers taps several keys. Soon, the image sharpens. He squints at it, trying to figure out why the face looks so familiar.
Mrs. Jones lets out a quiet gasp, and it suddenly occurs to him.
There's no way. He's been dead for almost three and a half years. It can't be him. It can't be...
"Alex," Mrs. Jones whispers. "But..."
Smithers quickly runs a facial recognition program.
Rider, Alexander J. Deceased.
How? Alex is dead. Alex is...
Mrs. Jones gets over her shock before Smithers does. "Send me a copy of this video," she orders. "And contact K-Unit. They're going to want to know that...that..." She takes a deep breath and tries again.
"They're going to want to know that Alex Rider is alive."
So here you go! I know this chapter is short but the others will probably be longer. I don't know how my update schedule will be because thanks to school starting I basically have no free time now but I'll do my best! I really will!
Reviews will make it easier to tolerate the soul-crushing institution known as high school :)