Everything changed over one confession to Sabina, like a switch being flipped they went from friends to mortal enemies. Coming out was not meant to be like this. She was meant to be his sister, yet she would not sit in the same room as 'HIM'. Alex was not her foster brother, not her friend and the big freeze between the former friends was affecting the entire family. Not helped by the fact, he would not, could not confess the cause of their estrangement to Edward and Liz, not when Sabina quite rightly thought he was a monster. He had heard her call him a filthy pervert to her mum, followed by a long wail of tears.
After two days avoiding everyone at home, the fifteen year old went to see if his therapist could fit him in, before Edward threw him out and sent him back to London. Sitting in the small reception area, avoiding eye contact with the receptionist. He had come here twice a week since he landed in San Francisco in July. Now in late August, he was about to say goodbye.
The thirty something with a severe dark bob and classic clothes smiled and queried "Two minutes, give me the condensed version, we can talk fully on Friday." Met with silence, his last lifeline was spoken softly, "What's the story? You look stressed, Lex?"
"Its goodbye, Rachel. So the no secrets rule has not gone down well with ma famille. I've been open, transparent, I told the truth and I'm now an anathema. I told you about Yassen. Dangerous, beautiful, complete antihero. You know I fancied him, so what. I was just exploring my sexuality. I told Sabina and she thinks I'm a pervert. Like I deserve a long, slow and painful death. Won't even look at me or sit in the same room. Her parents are taking her side. I am the one causing the problem. I'm the reject. Last one in first one out are the rules." Alex face went from defiant and self righteous to despondent. "Edward phoned London last night. So, I don't think I'll be back to continue our conversations on my shitty life. You've been good for me. Helped me sort myself out. Five weeks to get to the point I could move forward. Goodbye, so long, adieu. Its been a blast."
His time was up. The next guy was waiting for his hour to start. The teenager turned around and left. He had a small rucksack with a change of generic clothes, just over 200 bucks, his passport and no idea what to do or where to go. Only not London, MI6 could go fuck themselves. He went over to the parked car he'd seen, not locked and spare keys in the glove box. Once out of town he'd change the ID plates and in Sacramento he'd start hitching east. He wondered if he's keep on going until he hit the Atlantic or find home or a job on the way.
The teenage car thief, fully concentrating on his potential grand theft auto, was about to open the door on his chosen getaway vehicle. The beige small family car was parked down a little used side street, no windows overlooking it, no CCTV, no passing traffic, unlocked, keys already retrieved from the glove compartment before the teenager had visited his therapist. Alex was then accutely aware he was not alone, three soft steps then the click as the safety on the gun was released. A setup, he was about to die, unafraid he turned slowly to face his assassin.
The dark haired guy in his late twenties exclaimed "You're a fucking kid!"
"Sixteen in February, old enough to die." Alex stated with no emotion. He then pointed at his head and quipped "Last time the guy just missed my heart, so go for the head."
The assassin lowered his gun. "Well, I've kinda fucked this up. Makin' conversation with my mark. Brisco will be laughing in his grave at me. My names Nate, you now owe me 50 grand."
Alex did not relax, so that was the price on his head. He'd never make it to Sacramento. "I have 200 bucks to my name. How the hell can I pay you back?"
"We'll work something out. Get in the car. I'll tell you where to drive."
…..
Every time Edward's computer booted up, his start screen was the Missing Persons flyer for Alex, who had skipped out because Sabina had treated him like a leper for being gay. She had only confessed her unforgivable treatment after he left. Liz had been convinced their foster placement had tried to rape their daughter because of their daughter's antics. Not confess he had feelings for his abductor, a man dead for a year. Basic psychology could explain why a confused teenager would feel empathy for a man who refused to kill his mentor's son. There had been the enforced stripping in France, Yassen playing sexual games and humiliation, then the death bed confession from the assassin; interpreted not as family love but romantic. Alex had been played expertly by a master manipulator.
No leads in two and a half years, Alex had disappeared from the face of the earth. No hits on his passport, his savings account or any contact with school friends. Even the CIA and the FBI had drawn a blank. Last seen when Alex went to see Rachel to say goodbye. She had been the last person to see him. There was a word to add to that sentence, alive. Odds stated Alex; alienated, depressed and alone, had killed himself. The journalist knew all three of them were equally to blame, their rejection had been unconscionable, considering all in the house knew how fragile the fifteen year old had been. Liz had taken Sabina's side 100 percent and badgered her husband into sending Alex back to London. No amount of saying sorry or the hours of volunteer work would bring Alex back.
The clock on his menubar was all zeros. It was Sunday 13th February 2005, Alex's eighteenth birthday. Edward had packing to finish. Liz and Sabina had already moved back to England and a single man did not need a four bedroomed house.
Guilt, arguments and recriminations over failing the boy who had needed a home, family and stability. He still loved his wife, but they needed a breather. Married twenty one years, he did not hold much hope that this trial separation would work.
