The Final Link
The blond haired blue eyed boy who lost everything…
James Bradley, otherwise known as Alan Blunt, former head of the MI6 in London, England, entered his office in the sea-side house in Santa Cruz California. He and his wife, Marian, had bought the house only a year before and were living happily together.
There was no more MI6 for him, no more missions he couldn't talk about, no more secrets, they had been happy for the past five years. Little did he know, it would be short lived.
He sensed the presence before he saw. Some instinct born from long years in the MI6. He reached into his coat, preparing to pull a gun, but a voice stopped him. It was low, deep, and somehow…familiar.
"Don't bother with the gun Mr. Blunt," it said. The office chair swiveled around. The person seated there was semi-hidden by the darkness, a baseball cap was pulled low over his face. Blunt could tell that he was tall when standing. He held a pistol in one hand, it was pointed at him.
"I'm afraid you have me confused-" He was cut off.
"Enough with the coverup. I know you're Alan Blunt, former head of the MI6, and there's no use denying it."
"Do I know you?" Blunt asked.
The man gave a low chuckle. "You used to. You're good, I must say. It took me several years to track you down."
"If you want MI6 secrets you're-"
"Fuck MI6 secrets," he spat out in a moment of anger. "I've had enough to last me a life time."
Blunt started to activate the alarm but the man tutted.
"Ah ah ah. No alarms if you don't want this pretty lady dead," he said. A woman stepped from the shadows, holding Marian at gunpoint. The woman was average height with red hair, her eyes were covered by reflective glasses, most likely equipped with different visions. She was clearly trained.
"What's going on?" Marian asked, obviously scared.
"Shut up," the woman hissed.
"What do you want?" Blunt asked. "I'm retired."
"I don't think you recognize me," he said, then smiled at the woman, who chuckled. "Isn't that funny." He looked back at Blunt. "You may have heard of me. Yassen."
Blunt nodded. "The new assassin who's killing everyone who was ever part of Scorpia, wether they're incarcerated or not. Calling himself Yassen Gregorovich. Who is, consequently, dead."
"Yes. The original Yassen was killed by Damian Cray." He smiled. "I like to think of him as a mentor. Sort of. He, and you, started me on this path. Mostly you."
"Who are you?" Blunt asked, though an inkling had started to come as to who he was.
He stood. "I'm the one who saved the world. Nine times. And you're the man who stole my life." He removed his hat, revealing blond hair, and set it on the table and looking back up. His crystal blue eyes gleamed in the half light.
"Alex."
Alex Rider stood. "Formerly."
"How are the Pleasures?" Blunt asked, considering millions of different possibilities on how to get out of this mess.
"Still grieving their dead daughter," Alex said.
"I did-"
"What you had to?" Alex finished. "Perhaps. But you also got my parents killed. And my uncle. And my godfather. And my big sister. And the girl I loved." The woman cleared her throat. Alex looked at her. "I suppose the silver lining was Reyna." He looked back at Blunt, who opened his mouth, about to say something. "Don't. No excuses. No explanations. My father was sent, undercover, into Scorpia. He was killed by them but sent on the mission by you."
The blond haired blue eyed boy who never knew his parents…
"My uncle was also killed by them because of a mission you sent him on, but not before he trained me. To be a spy of course."
The blond haired blue eyed boy who grew up to fast…
"My godfather wanted revenge on you and joined them, eventually dying because of that."
The blond haired blue eyed boy who's only link to his past betrayed him…
"And Jack and Sab…" He paused, a flicker of the boy he used to be seemed to flash in his eyes, but it disappeared to quickly to be sure. "The sniper at my school," his eyes shined with unshed tears. "You did that. Just to be sure I went to Cairo. But it was a trap, and Jack paid the price. With her life. And Grief, you were to stupid, to blinded by pride to see it."
The blond haired blue eyed boy who was forced to watch his best friend, sister, and even mother figure, die…
He paused. "Sabina Pleasure. Died March 8 2018. Scorpia's revenge. If you hadn't blackmailed me into spy work in the first place she'd still be alive."
The blond haired blue eyed boy who saw the girl he loved get gunned down for no reason…
"But you wouldn't know her," Blunt pointed out. It was true. He'd met Sabina on a semi-MI6 given mission in 2016.
"At least she'd be alive," Alex said tersely. "I killed Julius Grief. I killed myself. But you knew that."
The blond haired blue eyed boy who was turned into a killer. Who killed himself…
"What is your point?"
"My point is that you're the last link," Alex said.
"Jones is dead?" Blunt asked. "Smithers to?"
"Yes. You're the last link to my first mission."
"You're going to kill me?" Blunt asked calmly.
Alex stared at him. "Yes."
"Then let Marian go. She has nothing to do with this," Blunt said.
Marian's eyes were wide. "James-"
"Shut up," Alex snapped. Reyna's hold on her tightened. He cocked his head, seemingly thinking. "Let's see…" Blunt seemed to hold his breath. "Very well."
The blond haired blue eyed boy who never wanted to be a killer…
He sighted down the barrel of his gun. "But not you." A single shot rang out, followed by the anguished cry of a woman. The new Yassen Gregorovich and Reyna Patten exited the formerly peaceful house, disappearing into the night.
At precisely 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning on March 8 2021, a man exited the cemetery in London, England. He was tall and strong. A trained operative. He was empty, broken, the shell of a boy who sacrificed everything to save the world.
The black haired brown eyed man who used to be Alex Rider…