Chapter 3:

Chapter 3:

Disclaimer: I don't own Alex.

A/N: All right this one is going to be longer than the last one so get ready.

Max woke at six in the morning to get ready for the boat ride. It was pleasant in Chile at this time of year but it would be freezing cold when they arrived at their final destination. She dressed in a tank top and jeans. She tied her sweatshirt on her waist. She packed her pajamas, laptop, and all her bathroom necessities then did a sweep of the room. It was seven when she was done. Not wanting to wake Alex just yet she went out on her balcony to watch the people below her. Most were tourists who were sightseeing. Max could pick them out from their hats, bright colored shirts, and cameras. Children were running around the streets getting into all sorts of mischief. Some were bothering their parents for treat money; some were bothering the people on the street. Others were running around playing tag. Some of the natives were selling trinkets while others were selling food. Somewhere there was a band playing, the sounds echoing into Max's ears. But there was another sound that she couldn't pinpoint exactly. It was familiar somehow. That's when it hit her; they were planes, military planes. Max wondered why her heart was racing in fear, why should she be surprised; Chile was known for having problems. But something was telling her to hightail it out of the hotel and find somewhere safe to hide till the boat left. That was when she heard it, the unmistakable whistle of bombs being dropped.

Off to her left a building exploded in a cascade of fire. She was so shocked she didn't move or even scream until another explosion happened on her right. She bolted into action. Running back inside she grabbed her duffle bag that held her clothes. She needed to go and get Alex moving.

Alex was startled awake by an explosion. He shot out of bed and ran to the window. Fire streamed from a building not to far off. Another explosion racked the hotel and he raced to get some clothes on. He was able to slip pants on over his boxers when there was a frenzied knock at the door. He grabbed a shirt and opened the door.

"We need to get out of here!" Max yelled at him.

From years of having to leave in a hurry Alex hadn't unpacked. He grabbed his duffle and followed Max to the stairs. They raced down into the lobby. People were screaming, trying to take cover under tables and chairs. Another explosion racked the street in front of the lobby. Max and Alex ran to the street. People and debris lay scattered in unrecognizable heaps of flesh and shrapnel. Max couldn't believe her eyes as she scanned the scene before her. Alex was seething with what seemed like anger.

"Who would do such a thing?" asked Alex.

A plane flew by over head and Max moved her eyes sky ward. On the wing of the ship she saw a red arrow going through a strange symbol she had never seen before. She filed the symbol away for future reference. There were more explosions farther away, Alex and Max started running through the ruined city. There were lots of survivors, some searched the debris for belongings, and others were cradling the dead in their arms mourning over their loss. Some walked as if in a daze as if they couldn't believe this was happening to them. Max tried to keep from perceiving these horrible things but to no avail, she quickened her step. She wanted to get down to the docks. The boat would be leaving no matter what; it needed to get supplies to the scientists. But it wasn't leaving for another few hours; somehow they had to stay safe till then. Planes circled over head but didn't drop any more bombs. They were waiting for something. Alex heard it first, a deep rumble of diesel engines.

"Max!" he yelled.

But Max wasn't there. Alex looked around. Her orange tank top wasn't anywhere to be seen. He panicked. How could he loose her that easily, then he remembered she was a spy after all.

"Max!" he yelled again.

There was no answer to his calls. He stopped, which turned out to be a big mistake. A big burly guy in a military uniform grabbed him. He tried to struggle but the man tightened his grip and nearly choked Alex. He stopped struggling.

"What do you want with me?" asked Alex not expecting an answer.

"Come now Alex, you know what we want," the military man said.

The voice sounded familiar for some reason.

"Who are you?" asked Alex.

"Come now Alex, you know who I am," said the man.

Then it hit him. Alex unconsciously relaxed in awe and a cloth was placed over his mouth. Before Alex had time to struggle he was out. And Ash gently carried his god son to the military car that was waiting behind a bombed building.

Max had lost Alex when she had picked up the pace. She was now trying to find him. All the shelters had records of all the people who had come to them but Alex hadn't been seen in any of them. She wondered where that boy could have been off too. She dug out her communicator that Smithers had given Alex and her. She punched in a few coordinates and listened. There was nothing but silence. Max's stomach tightened in fear, something wasn't right. She continued to look through the ruined city. Everyone was dirty and those that weren't moving were too sad, hurt, or dead. She couldn't believe the destruction she was seeing. Something in the pit of her stomach told her to go to the docks and wait to there for Alex but her mind told her to keep looking. 'He couldn't have gotten that far' she reasoned. She couldn't have made a graver mistake.

Alex woke handcuffed and his legs were tied tightly. He was also gagged. Thankfully he wasn't blindfolded. He saw and smelt the sour stink of sweat and other unpleasant odors of the bottom of a car. It was hard vinyl that was made to be easy to clean. Suddenly he was jarred painfully against the back of the seat behind him. He moaned through the gag and someone patted him on the head.

"It's all right Alex, we'll be arriving at our destination any moment," came his god father's voice over the roar of the engine of the car.

Alex tensed at the touch and when he heard the voice of the one who betrayed him, he tried to curl into a ball. Ash chuckled a little and turned back to the front of the car. They turned then stopped. Doors opened then closed and Alex was lifted out of the car by strong arms. Alex struggled. He was able to kick the person holding him in the head and he was dropped painfully to the ground. When he recovered he saw his god father massaging his face. He had taken off his shirt due to the heat and Alex saw a scar on his god father's chest right above where his heart was. Alex's mind flashed back to the night when he thought his traitor god father had died. The memory brought back unwelcome feelings of guilt and loss. But the look on Ash's face was nothing short of scary. The older man came over to the boy lying helpless on the ground.

"Not a smart thing to do Alex," Ash remarked grabbing Alex by the handcuffs and dragging him to his feet, "If that wasn't me you could have been killed right on the spot."

Alex could only wince as the handcuffs dug into the thin skin of his wrists, Ash shoved him forward. Alex walked as his god father guided him through two huge metal doors, the down a darkened hallway. He was thrown into another room and left lying on the ground handcuffed and bound. That was when he started to cry, he had no idea why but he needed to get it out of his system. He thought about Max and wondered if she was thinking of him. He thought of their mission that they still had yet to complete. Anger flared in his chest and he sat up to try and get out of his situation.

Max had looked all over for Alex and couldn't find him anywhere. No one had seen an American boy wandering around that had looked like Alex. None of the shelters had seen him and he had not gone to dock to check in for the boat. Tired and sick of walking around doing nothing she sat down on some debris and took out her laptop. It was something Smithers had given her so she could keep track of all the stuff she and Alex had found. She could also e-mail and, because Smithers was awesome, there was also a panic software. It would go directly to Alan Blunt and it would be listed as top priority, she could send them a message explaining what had happened and help would arrive, hopefully. She went into that software now and typed in a message. When she sent it she sighed and looked at the sky hoping Alex was okay.

A/NL: Sorry guys you'll see what happens next chapter. Tchao.