a/n: Please be a dear and review.
Disclaimer: Alex Rider doesn't belong to me.
The Meeting
Exactly 75 hours later Alex dropped a faded, brown suitcase into the full trunk of a car and kicked the for sell sign at the bottom of the driveway, "I feel sorry for that poor old sign," Jack said, as she joined him on the sidewalk, holding a large blue purse in one hand and a set of car keys in the other "It didn't ask to be put at this house and every time you go past you abuse it in some way, be it physically or mentally. We'll have to send it to rehab after all you've put it through."
Alex threw a small rock at the sign at then smiled sheepishly at her, eyeing another pebble next to his foot. "Sorry. I just don't see how they could actually do this."
"They're your legal guardians, that's how. Really creepy guardians, but they are in charge of this property and you now." She sighed and looked at the empty house that she had lived in since she had first become housekeeper. "Do you have everything?" She added a touch a motherly concern in her voice and she reached out to wipe an imaginary smear of grime of his cheek.
Alex answered by grimacing and gesturing at the suitcase near his feet. It was smaller then the ones that now resided in the back of Jack's car, but bulged with the items he had was fondest of, the only parts of his current life that he would take with him.
"Alright, I guess I have to leave soon, I definitely can't miss my fight. Here this is for you. Don't open it until I'm gone." Jack said a shoved a small package into Alex's hands before hugging him. "I hate these bloody people for thinking that because your uncle was a spy you'd want to be one as well. Then you say no and they decide to send you away."
"Jack, it's alright." Alex said a little awkwardly, trying to comfort the woman who was close to tears by patting her back.
"No, it's not all right." She wiped a tear from under a bright blue eye. "They're putting you in an orphanage and those places are dreadful. They'll only give you gruel and make you clean chimneys and-"
"You've been reading way too much Oliver twist," Alex stated grinning at how her imagination had gotten away from her. "This is the twenty first century. It's illegal for them to do that kind of thing. Now stop worrying about me, I'll be fine."
After a moment of hesitation Jack replied. "Alright. Promise me you'll write, and try to stay out of trouble. I know how you like to go looking for it."
"I don't go looking for it, it comes looking for me." Came the indignant response.
"If you they do anything awful to you write the people at MI6 even if you don't want to. Also please listen to the people in charge."
"Yes Ma'am. I'll be a good boy; I know it's hard for you to imagine that. Now go I don't want to be responsible for missing your flight, I already feel bad enough that it's because of me that you have to go back to America. Or do you want me to go get that lovesick neighbor of ours to chase you to the airport." Alex said jokingly scowling at Jack who in spite of herself chuckled at his expression. "What?" He asked look slightly surprised at her change of mood. "Have you gone completely loopy? A minute ago you were practically sobbing and now you're giggling enough to fit in with some of the girls in my year at school."
"Your expression looks just like Ian's did when he was telling you off for getting in trouble at school."
"Well I am his nephew and I did grow up with him. What do you expect? My expression to look like your mum's. Bye Jack. I'm sorry for me being the reason that you have to leave." He looked shame faced at the ground. "I've been thinking…" His voice was quiet as he glanced back up at her. "I could go back and tell them I've changed my mind. That way you won't have to leave and I won't cause so many problems for you."
She put a gentle hand under his chin and forced him to look at her. "Don't do that. I'm not worth giving up your life for. I want you to only tell them that if it is what you really want; you don't have to anything you don't want to. Good bye, Alex. I'll miss you." She kissed his cheek, ruffled his hair, and whispered one last, "Love you." Before getting in her car, she seemed taken aback when he ran to the car and gave her a final hug, knowing he wasn't one to physically demonstrate his affection. After he stepped back from the car she slowly backed down the driveway.
Alex watched until the car faded into the distance, the final part of everything he had known of his childhood being taken away. A strange sense of loss came over him as he realized that now he really was all alone in the world. Until about two weeks ago he thought he could handle anything the world threw at him and he could handle it by himself without any help. Now he felt very small and lost in a world that was trying to crush him.
He sat down on his suitcase to wait for someone from the orphanage to come pick him up. They had said that they would be there by three thirty so that he would be in someone's care until the representative showed up. He glanced at his watch and saw that whoever was coming was over forty-five minutes late.
When a large drop of rain exploded on his nose he mumbled that it was "Just his luck," then pulled his hood up. He couldn't even go into the house to keep dry because as soon as the hose had been put on the market they had taken his key. He knew the money from the house would eventually get to him along with whatever his uncle left him and the income from selling the contents of the house, but that wasn't until years in the future.
After another half hour passed and the rain changed from a drizzle to a downpour he grabbed his suitcase and dashed up the short driveway to attempt to stay a little dry by huddling on the doorstep.
As dusk started to fall he decided to go to one of the neighbors and beg them to let him borrow their phone and call the "Royal and General bank." As he stood up and stretched to get the cricks out of his back from sitting in one position for so long a small, slightly battered, black car pulled up to the house. An undersized man who reminded Alex of a rat got out and after glancing nervously both ways scurried towards the door.
"You must be Alex Rider," He said extending a hand that was oddly muscular compared to the rest of his appearance. "I'm from Sir Thomas's Orphans home, my name is Mr. Dick." When he said his name Alex snorted into his sleeve and the man glared at the boy in front of him. "You think my name is funny don't you? Don't you?" Alex shook his head but failed miserably to keep the smile of his face. "Why don't I believe you? Also when I ask a question I want you to answer it. No just shaking your head like you're a moron who can't string to words together. And at Sir Thomas's we don't tolerate laughing at other people's names. People don't normally just go around laughing at random things. If my name was Bob it wouldn't be 'Bob, that's a bloody hilarious name. Ha ha ha.' If you do people will think you soft in the head. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal clear." Alex said stunned by the venom in the man's voice.
The man glanced at the boy and pulled a paper out of his pocket. "It says here that you were scheduled to call at Seven p.m. last night, you didn't bother to do so until almost seven thirty. We expect punctuality at Sir Thomas's."
"You call being two hours late punctuality?"
"Shut up. No smart ass comments. Now get in the car we've got a long drive ahead of us." He said and stalked back to the car, followed by Alex who had one hand clutched around the package from Jack which he had forgotten to open and with the other he lugged his suitcase to the back of the car. Stopping to take one last, almost sorrowful look at his home before getting in the car to face an uncertain future.
