The world was dark. A myriad of scents hung in the air. Alex was freezing cold and wet, shivering on the slick cement. There was a terrible pounding in his head, and he wished that he were unconscious.
Painfully, he opened his eyes, and was pleased to be greeted by the dim colors of sunset in the sky above, which were gentle on his sensitive eyes. His limbs were sprawled about him, but it hurt too much to move, so he stayed there, taking deep breaths.
Where was he? More importantly, why was he here? He couldn't remember anything beyond having breakfast at a small café with Sabina this morning. His memory lapse was unsettling, but he figured that it would all come back to him soon. At least he wasn't in a cell somewhere, bound and gagged.
Had he been the victim of a mugging? He reached down to check his pockets. Everything seemed to be there. Wallet, check. Cell phone, check.
What the heck happened to me?
He didn't know the answer, and that disturbed him.
Glancing around, he took note of the ever-fading daylight. Despite all the things he was unsure of, he did know that he needed to get out of here. With night falling, the last thing he wanted was to be alone on the streets of Boston. If he hadn't been mugged before, he'd probably be mugged now. And he was in no shape to fight.
With a strangled grunt, he pried himself from the ground, wincing with each movement. The world spun, and he struggled not to vomit. Thankfully, the alley wall was there for support. He clung to it as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, dialing Sabina's number. It only rang once.
"Alex, is that you? Are you alright?" Sabina asked frantically.
"I think I'm okay. I need you to come and get me. I don't think I can make it back to the hotel on my own. Something happened…but I can't remember a thing." It stung to admit it, but he needed help.
There was pause, and then a shaky breath. "I'll get my father. We'll be there as soon as we can. Where are you?"
It was a simple question, but he didn't have an answer. Hobbling out of the alley and onto the sidewalk, he glanced at the nearest street sign and read it to Sabina. "All right, Alex. Hold on. We'll be there soon."
"I'll be waiting."
"Stay safe."
"I'll try," he said and ended the call. He took a deep breath, observing his surroundings. There were a few people on the street, but no one was paying attention to him. That was good. The last thing he needed was to attract the interest of someone unfriendly.
Although he wanted to stay visible, so Sabina and her dad could find him, he preferred to remain concealed in the shadows of the alley – it seemed safer. For at least five minutes, he was able to stand. But then his knees grew weak and he had to sit, with his back braced against the brick wall.
Another ten minutes passed, and there was still no sign of them. His eyes grew heavy, exhaustion threatening to consume him. Short flashes of his lost memories came to him as he drifted off, but as soon as they appeared, they were gone.
Some time later, Alex felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and heard hushed voices calling his name. His eyes shot open, taking in Sabina and Edward Pleasure. His body relaxed at the sight.
"Alex, can you hear me? Are you all right?" Edward asked, concerned.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just tired."
Edward tugged him to his feet and led him to the car, carefully helping him into the backseat, securing a seatbelt around him. Normally, Alex would've protested the help, but he was far too worn to resist.
He jumped as the car started, but slowly found himself lulled into a dream-like state by the steady hum of the engine. Alex only spoke once, and that was to object to going to the hospital.
By the time they arrived at the hotel, he was able to muster enough energy to shuffle into the main lobby on his own. He was vaguely aware of curious glances from those around him, but he ignored them and stepped into the elevator. Edward and Sabina were right behind him.
When he entered the hotel room, Sabina's mum grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. Her expression grew concerned when she took note of his condition. Alex was sure he looked terrible, if the way he felt was any indication.
Before he was aware of what was happening, he was on the couch, his wounds being cleaned and bandaged. The antiseptic stung, but he hardly noticed – just as he also didn't notice as he was nudged into the bathroom with a fresh change of clothes. Everything was going by in a blur. Perhaps he had been drugged. That would explain his sluggishness.
He just hoped that he'd be fine by morning.
…
Alex stared at his watch.
4:27 A.M.
Despite his desire to sleep, he was having trouble settling his mind. He was feeling better now, and although that was good, he couldn't manage to stay asleep for more than an hour at a time. And every time he awoke, he found himself struggling to recall the events of the previous day.
So far, he hadn't been successful.
Something bad had happened – he was certain of that. Typically, waking up on the ground in the middle of an alleyway was indicative of bad circumstances. His injuries suggested that he had been attacked, but it didn't seem like he had fought back. Otherwise, there would have probably been some injury to his hands. At the very least, his knuckles should feel sore.
He just hoped –
Alex's head snapped up, in response to the noise coming from the hallway. There were footsteps, heavy and quick. It was too early in the morning for anyone to be moving so enthusiastically. Was he in danger?
He shot up from the couch, desperate to find something to use as a weapon, when he heard a knock at the door.
He froze, a million thoughts running through his head.
There was nowhere to run, and he certainly wouldn't abandon the Pleasures. Alex's only option was to face them. With firm determination, he picked up a lamp from the side table, walked toward the door, and slowly turned the handle.
The sight of the two well-dressed men standing before him was surprising.
"Alex Rider? We work for the CIA. You need to come with us immediately."
A/N: Thanks for reading, reviewing, following, etc. =) I'm going to try to get the next chapter up by this time next week.
Do you guys have any suggestions or comments? If so, I'd love to hear them!
