"This is John Rider. Alex, meet your father"
Ben stared in shock at the sight before him. No…it couldn't be. It was impossible! John Rider is dead…or at least was…it made no sense! The proof contradicting his views was standing right in front of him yet he still couldn't get his head around it. Alex was his son now…his.
Alex felt the breath get knocked at him at the mention of the man's name. John Rider…that was his father, but his father was dead. That's what everyone had told him. The man hugging him must be a fake, an imposter. There was just no way a man who had been assumed dead for fourteen years could just turn up. It's almost as stupid as saying that Yassen didn't die but miraculously lived! [1] Someone was having a laugh with him.
The man let go of Alex, cutting off his train of thought. Finally, Alex got a proper look at the face of his supposed 'father'. The first thing he noticed was the piercing brown eyes that locked straight with his. The shade was almost identical to his and Alex could see surprise in the eyes, yet if one were to analyze in great detail, it could almost be seen as forced.
Around the eyes fair hair like his drifted down across his cheek bones, making it look like he hadn't had a hair cut in ages. In one ear there was a single gold stud and stubble framed his jaw untidily.
He wore a dark blue t-shirt and jeans that looked like they'd seen better days and the look was finished of with muddy black hiking boots. Although Alex could see the resemblance between them he was still not ready to just accept him and start calling him 'daddy' based on MI6's word.
"Alex" the man croaked out "It's really you. I haven't seen you since you were a baby"
Alex let no emotion cross his face as the man placed his hands on his shoulders. If anything the man sounded like some great-aunt who was gushing over 'how big he'd got'.
"Why should I believe you're who they say you are? You look nothing like the pictures I've seen of you"
The man gave a rough chuckle and rubbed the back of his head. "I suppose I've changed a bit in fourteen years and like Mrs Jones said, they've done the tests. I'm your father"
Alex gave a scathing laugh. "As if I'd believe them on something as important as this. They've ruined my life too many times for me believe they wouldn't do it again."
'John Rider' sighed. "I suppose I should take some of the blame for your suspicious nature. But you must believe me Alex, I know it seems surreal, but I am your dad and for once, MI6 are right."
With a scoff Alex pushed the man's hands of his shoulders and walked over to Ben.
"I know who my father is, and you're not him" stated Alex darkly.
Ben felt a rush of joy pass through him at those words but he also knew things might not stay that way for long. His thoughts were confirmed when Mrs Jones began to speak.
"Alex, we know you must be confused but maybe once you go home with John you'll be able to sort things out and perhaps begin to be a proper family"
"You want me to go home with him! Have you gone completely mad?" Alex shouted. There was no way he was going anywhere with that man. He already had a home, with Ben and K-Unit and nothing was going to change that.
"Alex, please, give me a chance" His apparent father looked on at him desperately. "You're my son Alex, my boy. I'm so sorry I've missed you grow up but I still hope it's not too late to start to get to know you. See how much of me and your mother you have in you"
"My mother?" asked Alex.
"Yes, even know I can see her in your facial features. I was devastated when she didn't make it, but I know that she's looking down on us"
Alex vaguely recalled the moment after he got shot. Just before he fell unconscious he remembered seeing her. She smiled at him and helped him.
Unknowingly Alex almost began to cry until he realised and quickly rubbed his eyes, taking away all traces of tears.
Ben saw this and with a heavy heart knew what he had to do. Taking a deep breathe he took a last long look at Alex and then spoke his name. Alex turned towards him.
"Listen kiddo, I know you must be feeling a mixture of emotions but I think you should go with your dad. I love you like a son but you're not my son, John is, and he deserves the chance to know you. You deserve it, to have a real family. I'm just glad I could help you for as long as I did."
Alex's eyes widened. "What? You're getting rid of me?"
"No! I just think you need to go with your real dad" He tried to touch Alex's shoulder but Alex flinched and moved back.
"You are getting rid of me! I don't want to go with him" He pointed to John. "I don't care if he's my dad by blood! I want to stay with you and K-Unit!"
Ben had never heard Alex so vulnerable and it hurt that he thought Ben actually wanted to send him away. Of course he didn't, he just knew that John deserved Alex more than he did. He wished Alex could see that.
"Alex, I'm so sorry. I want you to stay with me but I'm not your father. You can't stay with me"
"Gentlemen if you wish to carry out this…disagreement, I would prefer if you did not do it in my office" Blunt interrupted.
"You know what? Never mind. I'm leaving, with neither of you!"
Alex stormed out of the office. Both men tried to follow him but the door slammed in their faces. John was going to open the door and try to catch up but Ben stopped him.
"Don't. Let him blow of some steam. He'll just resent you even more if you try and get him"
John spent a long time staring at Ben before he sighed and let go of the handle.
"I suppose your right but if he doesn't come back in an hour I'm going to look for him. This is really not how I imagined meeting Alex"
Ben felt some sympathy for the man. It must be hard being rejected by your son.
"Just give him some time; I'm sure he'll come around"
John glared at Ben. "No thanks to you. If you never adopted him he'd have no problem accepting me!"
"Gentlemen; I really would appreciate it if you could take this outside. John, a car to take you to your new home will be arriving shortly. You may wait in reception."
"Fine" snapped John at Blunt and stormed out of the office.
Ben soon followed but just as he was about to walk out Mrs Jones called him back.
"I know this must be hard on you but I'm sure you will be able to keep in contact with Alex. I'm sure once John has calmed down he'll agree to letting you see him occasionally" She seemed to be trying her best at reassuring him that everything will be ok but he didn't quite believe her words. He had a feeling John would continue to blame him for Alex not going with him.
Ben shut the door behind him and trudged to the elevator. Only a few moments ago he was in it with Alex, and he could still call the boy his son. Now though, the adoption papers would probably be ripped up or something and all legal connection he had to Alex would disappear.
The worst part however, is he would never be called 'dad' again. Just when Alex had felt comfortable saying it this happens meaning he'll never be called it again. Who knew one word could make him feel like this?
Then again, how he was feeling must be nothing compared to what Alex was like. God, he'd been through so much and then his supposed deceased father comes back from the dead. It's a wonder Alex was still sane after it all. Hopefully once he'd thought it over he'd come back to the apartment and they'd be able to talk. Maybe he'd get Alex to see why he did what he did. He didn't want him to hate him.
The elevator stopped and the doors slid open cutting of Ben's thoughts. He went out and walked past the receptionist. On one of the chairs sat John texting someone on his phone. The blond haired man's eyes linked with his and the man scowled at him. Ben looked away and quickly walked out of the bank. He just wanted to go home, K-Unit were probably dying to know what happened.
'I can't wait for their reactions' he thought sarcastically as he drove home.
The moment he walked through the door of the apartment he was bombarded with questions.
"What did they want?"
"Where's Alex?"
"Did they send him on a mission?"
"Why are you so sad?"
"Guys, quiet, please" Ben exclaimed over the babble. "Sit down, and I'll tell you what happened…"
_(&)_
"How the hell does someone escape alive from a bomb on a frickin plane? If the bomb didn't kill him then surely the fall did!"
"I didn't ask how he escaped, I probably will later when Alex comes back and I take him to John" Ben replied to Wolf.
"Don't you think this is all a little suspicious? How can you really be sure he is who he says he is?" asked Snake looked more than a little doubtful.
"Well, he looks a lot like Alex and Mrs Jones said they did the tests to prove it was him" Ben shrugged.
"Fox, appearances can be faked, you should know that more than anyone and maybe the tests were wrong. I just can't see how someone can be back from the dead, especially considering how John Rider was supposed to have died"
"I don't know either Snake but there's nothing I can really do about it. MI6 have done the tests and well, if MI6 are wrong, what does that say about the safety of our country?"
"I suppose you're right. So, do we just wait for Alex now?"
"I guess so. This is the only place I think he'll come back to; or maybe one of his friend's houses" Ben checked his watch. "If he isn't back in half an hour we can call people and go looking for him. I don't want him staying out all night"
_(&)_
Alex angrily wiped away a stray tear that fell down his cheek. He would not cry over this! There was absolutely nothing to cry over. The man was an imposter, that's all there was too it. No way in hell was that man his father. It was just MI6 tricking him again, probably try and get him to do some mission with his 'dad'.
MI6 tricking him wasn't what hurt most though, he was used to that. No, what hurt was that Ben was so ready to just accept that the man was his dad and then hand him over to him without even a fight. Ben probably never really cared for him. He didn't even do anything when he finally called him dad! It was probably just a big lie from the beginning. Used once again.
In a burst of frustration Alex punched the tree beside him. Thankfully, as it was becoming dark, there was no one left in the park so he was able to do what he liked. Another punch later Alex wearily pressed his forehead against the splintered bark, ignoring the small pain forming because of it.
What was he going to do now? K-Unit probably felt the same way as Ben so he now officially had no one again except this time there was no where he could go. He could possibly take refuge in Tom's house for a while but any more than two days and his parents would get suspicious. Great, now not only did he have no family, he was homeless. And all his stuff was in his old home and he was not going back there. Going to MI6 was also a definite no, they would just send him of to him.
"Happy bloody birthday to me" Alex mumbled bitterly.
The teenager gave the tree a final kick and spun around. He was immediately greeted by the sight of two men covered in black. Reflexes in action Alex tried to lunge past them but he wasn't quick enough. He had been too lost in his thoughts to realise they were so close behind him and that was his downfall. A needle was quickly injected into his arm and the world blurred.
His last thought before he fell was 'Not again'.
_(&)_
A few metres away a man smiled, his brown eyes crinkled in satisfaction.
His plan had begun.
Sorry this is so short but it was up when promised! The next chapter should be up in another two weeks, slight possibility it may be up earlier due to it being the holidays (less than a week till xmas :D) Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews. I mean, 20? Freaking great :D and also got so many favs and alerts! You guys are fab which is why I feel so bad for the short chap but I had writers block and that felt a good place to end.
Until next time…
[1] Eheh…I just had to add it in.
