Chapter 2 Date: 9/6/14

Disclaimer: Refer to previous chapter.

Warnings for blood, language, violence, etc. Just Beware.


Chapter 2

Yassen didn't pause to contemplate who had shot the assassin who held Alex. He ran forward and grabbed Alex before he could fully impact with the floor, whilst brushing aside the body of Alex's assailant. No, he thought, numbness and disbelief and anger welling up inside him while his schooled his outward expression to be intent and alert. As Yassen scooped up Alex's limp body, he had to jerk out of the way of one of his comrades who was delivering a killing blow to his opponent. At the moment, Yassen didn't care. He just needed to get Alex to safety.

Cradling Alex in his arms bridal-style, Yassen swiftly weaved through the masses. He barged through doors until he found a quiet room, perhaps a conference room, which looked easy enough to defend if need be.

Yassen set Alex down as gently as he could. He bent down to check for a pulse and received assurance from the rapid rush of blood beneath the skin. Alex's face was drained of color. His breathing came in short, shallow sucks.

Yassen picked up a nearby jacket that had been forgotten and balled it up. Glancing at Alex again, Yassen spotted the hilt of a knife protruding from the teen's lower chest. Right now, it was staunching the bleeding. Wrapping the jacket around to help stabilize the knife and soak up the blood, Yassen leaned back as Alex took a shuddering gasp into consciousness. He stare was unfocussed for a few seconds before sharpening slightly and settling on Yassen, who stared on, impassionate, but shook his head slightly and narrowed his eyes when Alex tried to sit up.

"You are in need of medical attention of which I cannot give you," he said nodding at the knife. Alex's eyes widened as he glanced down with wide at the foreign object before lying back down with a soft grunt. "I will be back." Yassen started to get up when Alex shot out a hand to grab Yassens shirt. The assassin stopped to look at him.

"Why? You keep trying to recruit me and whatnot. And don't tell me it's about my father saving your life once." His eyes were tight with pain but he was thinking clearly.

Yassen stared at him for a second before answering slowly. "You remind me of me when I was young. Hunter did not save my life just once, he gave me the means to survive on my own. Be thankful it was him who trained me. A few morals seem to have rubbed off on me, if only a little." Yassen paused. "Now stay here. That wound will need attention. The blade is acting as a tourniquet, and I had best drop a hint to your comrades." Yassen was distracted by a sound in the hall, and he already had his gun drawn, aiming at the door, which burst open.

It was Ben Keller, the man Yassen had hired just less than a year ago. His weapon was drawn and pointing at Yassen even as he busted through the door.

Yassen leaned slightly over Alex and stared at Ben. The corner of his lip quirked and he raised an eyebrow.

"Drop your weapon," Ben growled.

"You first, Keller."

"No. That is not how this is going to go. Step away from the boy and drop your weapon. Now."

Yassen froze for a split second before stepping back and slowly lowering his gun. "You wish to help him."

"Yes. Yes I do," Ben stepped forward swiftly, never taking eye or gun off of the assassin in the room. He crouched down by Alex and murmured "How ya doing, Al?"

Alex winced as he let out a short sigh. "Gee I don't know, Ben. Just thought I'd take a breather here, what with a sharp pointy stick sticking through my ribs. How do you think I'm doing?"

Ben bit his lip. Part in worry and part in annoyance. "Yeah, uh, bad question."

"Yup. It was. How'd you know we were here?"

"I saw it. I woulda shot the bloke, but he," Ben nodded to Yassen. "Shot the guy first. I got held up, and went to find you once I'd dealt with it."

Yassen watched this with a blank expression, like he'd already known. His suspicions that Keller was no good proved true, only he wasn't from a rival criminal organization, but from MI6.

"You know each other." It was a statement, a fact, not a question. Ben froze and glared dangerously at the assassin. Alex nearly sputtered in laughter because the only person he could have learned a glare like that was from Wolf.

"Now is not the time for pleasantries, and you don't deserve explanations." He kept his gun trained on Yassen. "Al, can you get up for me?"

Alex stared at with indecipherable eyes before making a small movement to get up. He barely managed to get an inch off the ground before collapsing with a gasping cough. His face twisted grudgingly. "I'll need help getting up. I'll be fine when I'm on my feet."

"You are anything but fine, Alex."

Yassen interceded. "I will pick him up, if you let me, and support him to safety."

Ben just stared at him for a long pause. "If you try anything, I won't hesitate to put a bullet in your brain."

Yassen dipped his head once in understanding. He wrapped an arm under Alex's arms, hoisting him up to his feet and holding him up as his legs buckled. He paused and allowed the dazed expression on the young spy's face to fade away before setting his weight down more fully, still providing support should Alex suddenly need it.

With Ben at the ready, they made their way into the hall. The SAS had sent in reinforcements and now Yassen's forces were trying to retreat—Yassen scowled at that.

Ben led them away from the heart of all the mayhem. Yassen's men might not take a shot at him or Alex, whom he was supporting, but an MI6 agent might if it meant a chance to kill the world reknowned assassin. On the other side of things, an assassin might attempt to take out Ben.

"Alright, we need to get Alex out of here."

"Ben, I'm right here. I can hear you, you know," the boy in question wheezed.

"And I am truly thankful that you can."

Yassen stopped when Alex suddenly doubled up into a coughing fit. His eyes squeezed shut and his fist scrunched up Yassen's shirt. Ben waited tensely with worry lining his eyes. It seemed to take forever for Alex to recover. When he stood straighter he wiped his mouth, twisting his face into a grimace when his wrist came away bloody. The sickening salty-sweet taste of blood coated his mouth.

"Alex…"

"I know, Ben. I can last awhile longer." Alex used Yassen, who stood sternly, to push himself up, knees buckling when he twisted. Yassen guided him down to lean on a wall, and he hunched around the knife.

Yassen stared at the youth's pale, clammy face. He was hiding his pain astonishingly well.

"No." The assassin spoke the one word with finality. "You don't need to be running around. That will cut you to ribbons."

Alex rolled his eyes weakly. "Ben. What about the comms?"

"Mine was taken out by the guy who attacked me on my way to find you."

"Fantastic."

"I think you and I have different ideas of 'fantastic'," Ben muttered to himself before falling silent, trying to think of a better way of getting help. He sighed.

"I have to go get help. Alex. I'll be back."

Yassen broke in swiftly. "I will stay with him."

"Like hell! You would either kill him to get it over with and disappear, or abandon him and disappear. Either way you get away."

"I can assure you I will not harm him. Just as I would do my best to make sure he comes to no further harm," Yassen replied silkily.

Ben opened his mouth only to be interrupted by a mumble. "Damn it you two. Stop bickering like the grumpy old men you are and do something or haven't you noticed the human pincushion here."

The corner of Yassen's lips twitched as Ben's face flushed. "Fine. Move into here." He peeked into a dim room near them. Finding it empty, they shuffled into it. The soft carpet muffled their footsteps and would provide a little more cushion for Alex, whom they moved to a corner.

He moved to pat Yassen down for weapons. As he did so, he rumbled a low threat. "If you let anything happen to him, I will find you. Anything I do would not be under the orders of MI6." Once he was satisfied, he paused to glance at them before he vanished.

The room was left filled with an erie silence but for the low hum of a single fluorescent light in the far edge of the room. The harsh whoosh of a computer jerked the both Alex and Yassen's attention to the machine. Alex's widened eyes closed briefly in relief. When he opened them, he saw Yassen crouch by the wall next to Alex.

The move had exhausted Alex, and his rasping breaths even out slightly despite the chest wound. His racing heart slowed to a hard thud-a thud-a thud-a and his face sagged in weariness.

Yassen kept his eyes and an ear on the door, but glanced at Alex when he heard a lessening in his breathing. The pained eyes of his temporary charge met his own. Yassen's brow knit together in question.

Alex took the invitation. "Who told you I was unwilling?"

Yassen paused a moment before answering fluently. "By now, I know you realize the dangers of this life. I thought about how I warned you. You had no mind to listen. I understand now why. In short, I fit the pieces together, and you confirmed it."

"So I did. And-"

Alex froze mid-speech as they heard quiet footfalls outside the door. They waited until long after the soft steps faded before relaxing slightly.

"Why can't you just order them not to kill me?"

"I find it easier to just avoid conflict among my colleagues: helping you would certainly put a strain on our working relationship. You have earned quite a reputation. Therefore it is easiest if I keep us hidden and avoid having my motives questioned."

"In other words, they are not nearly professional as you," his underlying tone sarcastic.

"I have had to learn to keep a tight control over my feelings."

"I just wouldn't think you would pick a whole bunch of fools to be a part of you ever-so-elite organization."

Yassen shrugged, the corner of one side of his mouth curling upward slightly. "Means to an end. Most of them will die before it is fully recognized."

Alex bared his teeth in spite. "Still think that thing will materialize, d'ya?"

Yassen's answer was cool. "Yes, I do, little Alex." As the last word left his mouth, the door burst open. He bit out a curse in Russian and automatically reached for a gun that wasn't there.

Five men poured into the room. Two of them trained their guns on Yassen, while the other three rushed to Alex with a stretcher. Snake set his gear down and smiled concernedly down at Alex.

"Hey, Cub. I heard you got yourself in a bit of a bind."

"That might be one way to put it." Alex started to unwrap the nearly-forgotten jacket, which was now soaked in blood, but Snake rushed to stop him.

"Fox told me. I just want to make sure you get out of here." Snake's quick hands set to work. Alex noted with surprise how warm and gentle his hands were in contrast to the SAS hardened soldier.

Eagle stood by. His gut clenched as he took in the drained teenager that lay bloody on the floor. The crimson that had been slowly leaking around the knife had leached into the jacket. The corner of Cub's mouth was smudged with his blood, standing out against the pale skin. As Eagle stood, waiting for any command from Snake, he noticed the drooping lids.

"Cub! Wake up." The wake-up call did its job. Alex jerked awake with a startled suck. The sharp breath set him to coughing. Doubling up reflexively at the pain each hack caused, he screwed his eyes shut as tears slid from under the closed lids. A sickening salty-sweet sprayed his throat and tongue. He sagged out of his fit as a cold feeling swept through his body, leaving him shivering. His head swam, and he was dizzy, like he had just spun around in a million circles and come to a sudden stop as the world kept going. Weakness flooded his limbs as he cracked his eyes. The dragging weight of every muscle prevented him from so much as twitching a finger, not that he even had the strength to try.

He dimly registered the mumbling shouts of...someone...and shuffling feet. And the day just kept getting dimmer. The pretty lights... Shadows ate the edges of the sun, and a thought oozed across his sluggish mind: 'It was such a pretty day'.


So. That's the second chapter of "The Path Untraveled".

Tell me what you think. It is unbeta'd, so any mistakes are a 'my bad'. I live for the reviews! Without them, I have no clue whether or not people like this.

~ryddance