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Alex's mind was a blur. He had no clue as to his surroundings or what was happening. He remembered the hands that had lifted him out of the water. He had been carried somewhere and the next thing he could remember was the rumbling of an engine beneath him. He had been so cold. The next time he came to, he was being stripped of his clothes and wrapped in something warm. He thought for a moment he saw Yassen Gregorovich above him, talking to him, holding him. But he knew it was a dream. Yassen was dead.
Yassen was telling him to do something.
"Breathe, Alex!"
Breathe? Why? Wasn't he breathing now?
He tried to, only to be welcomed by his lungs screaming and his body convulsing. He was rolled onto his side and something kept hitting his back, forcing water from his lungs. After that, he'd been greeted once more by the cold darkness.
This time he awoke quite comfortably. The surface he was lying on wasn't cold. His body was no longer racked with shivers and he could breathe a lot better. He felt something on top of him and embraced the warmth it gave him.
"Alex?"
There was that voice again. Why did he keep hearing it?
"Alex, open your eyes."
Why? He was comfortable like this. Here it was warm and peaceful.
"Alex!"
Something held his shoulders and shook him gently, forcing him to open his eyes. For a moment he thought he was dead…or dreaming. Yassen Gregorovich stood over him, his piercing blue eyes observing him critically. He blinked a few times, expecting the image to disappear, but it didn't.
"You…dead?"
The words stumbled from his lips as a whisper, but as they did, he felt something choking him. His lungs hurt and he gasped for air, but something was blocking his airway. He panicked, but Yassen sat him up, one arm around the front of his shoulders and the other patting him on the back.
"Come on, Alex, get it out." Yassen's calm composure was a strong contrast to Alex's.
He coughed, struggling to get oxygen. Spots danced in front of his eyes, dangerously. Suddenly the pressure in his throat was relieved as water spluttered from his mouth. More followed and each time it did, Alex found his breathing improved. Yassen's actions seemed to help him until finally the crisis was over and he sagged in Yassen's hold.
Yassen gently lay him back down. "I had a feeling you still had water in your lungs," he remarked.
He must have noticed Alex's look of confusion, because he smiled softly. "Yes, it's me, Alex."
"No…" Alex struggled to say. "You died. I saw you die."
Yassen smiled sadly. "I wasn't dead. I came to shortly before the police got to the plane and managed to get to a hospital," he said.
Alex frowned. "How? That place was crawling with-"
"Alex, try not to strain yourself with trying to understand everything now," Yassen interrupted. "You've had a rough day and you're fortunate to be all in one peace."
This turned Alex's attention back to the earlier events. "What happened? Why did you have to blow my cover?"
"Alex, you were spotted. I was trying to help you," said Yassen.
Alex remembered slowly. "Yeah," he said, stupidly. "I heard you, you know. You were moving behind me. What were you doing there? Are you working for them? Are you still with Scorpia?"
Yassen held a hand up to cease Alex's questioning. "I will tell you everything as long as you promise to calm down."
Nodding, Alex inhaled deeply, before listening to Yassen's story.
"Once I was discharged from hospital, I returned to Venice, to Scorpia. I have indeed returned to my work. I have an assignment here to…" Yassen paused. "That isn't important. I was monitoring the compound when I saw you ahead. At first I didn't realise it was you. I made some noise so that you would turn around so that I could see your face. Once I realised it was you, I followed you at a distance. You were crawling towards the compound. I tried to get your attention again to make you realise that you were in a dangerous position, and for a moment it worked. But the dogs started barking and it was too late for you to hide."
"I figured the only way I could save you was to reveal myself. But I didn't exactly count on you running from me. But now I think about it, it was the only reaction I should have foreseen."
"I thought you were one of them," Alex admitted, sheepishly.
"A wise assumption," commended Yassen. "I'm only sorry the ice didn't hold out."
Alex cringed at the memory. "I was too caught up in getting everything over with to realise my mistake," he said, softly.
"Are you still working from MI6?"
Alex was surprised by the question, but he nodded a yes. "In a manner of speaking," he said bitterly.
Yassen said nothing.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Nothing," was Yassen's reply.
Alex sighed. "Well, whatever the reason you were there…thanks."
Yassen nodded and put a hand on Alex's forehead. "Your temperature's back up, that's a good sign."
"Where am I?" asked Alex, only just becoming aware of the fact that he was in a bed.
"A rented cottage not far from the village," replied Yassen. "Did you have accommodation of some sorts?"
Alex nodded. "A motel in the village."
"Well, lets just wait until you're back on your feet and we'll work out things from there," said Yassen, standing.
"Umm…thanks," murmured Alex, not really sure how to accept Yassen's hospitality.
"You'd better get some sleep," said Yassen, walking out of the tiny bedroom.
Alex snuggled back down into the warm blankets, thoughts churning inside his head.
Why was Yassen here? Why didn't Yassen want to tell him why he was here? With Yassen a member of Scorpia again and Alex working for MI6, did that mean they were on opposing sides? But if that was the case, why did Yassen save him?
Was it because of his father?
Yassen didn't know the truth; that John Rider had been working as an undercover agent at Scorpia. Yassen still thought that John had been an assassin. But what if he ever found out about the truth? Would he kill Alex?
Whatever the case, Alex knew he couldn't stay with Yassen. It was too dangerous for both of them. If Scorpia found out that Yassen was with him, they might kill him. After all, Scorpia couldn't have forgotten the mess that Alex had made with Invisible Sword.
For his and Yassen's sake, he had to leave.
Tonight.