Chapter 3:
Alex awoke with a groan. He really hated being knocked out. It always left him with that feeling of disorientation and nausea.
The ground beneath him was cold and hard, and when he opened his eyes, he was not surprised to find that he was in a cell. Two sides were solid concrete, and two sides were made of a thick metal bar. The door was also made of heavy bars and the hinges were thick. Alex surmised that he would need a blowtorch to get through the hinges or bars. The concrete was white, and the bars were black. The only color in the room was Alex's blue jeans and baby blue top. Even his sneakers were black.
There were approximately 25 cells, all 6 feet by 6 feet like the one Alex was currently sitting in. Alex's was in the far back corner.
Alex noticed a security camera in the top corner of the cell and wondered when someone was going to show up. They obviously knew that he was awake.
Deciding to examine his cell, Alex stood up and walked around. There was a small cot in the corner. That was it. Nothing else. The cot was bolted securely to the floor, and was made of metal so that he couldn't break it and use it as a weapon or tool. As he sat down on it, he realized that it wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, but would surely beat sleeping on the concrete ground.
Alex's observations were cut short by four guards walking down the hallway and down to his cell. The one in the lead pulled out a set of keys and opened the door. The three other guards all had their guns drawn and ready to be fired at moment's notice. Alex decided to cooperate, and so when he was ordered to, he calmly walked out of the cell and allowed his hands to be tied.
When prompted to, he walked forward and walked down the hallway with one guard in front of him, on behind, and two on either sides. They might not have any clue as to who he was, but they were being careful.
A few moments later they had gone around so many twists and turns that Alex was completely lost. The prison cells were the farthest level underground and had been off limits to him. Not that off-limits had ever stopped him in the past, but security was so tight that if he had tried to get down here there was only a 2.7% chance that he would get out in one piece.
Shortly thereafter, they arrived in front of a door. The guy in front of Alex reached forward and opened it.
Alex was pulled in and shoved into a chair, which he was promptly attached to with ropes.
A man whom Alex had never seen before stepped forward.
"Well, well. Who do we have here?"
Alex didn't answer; he didn't even acknowledge that the man had spoken.
The man stepped forward and slapped Alex. Alex turned his gaze to the man and stared at him with the blankest expression that he could.
"That was a question. Who are you?"
Still, Alex did not say anything.
"Trying to be the tough guy, are we? Well, it just so happens that I'm an expert at making the 'tough' guys go crying to their mommies…well they would, except that no one ever exits this place once brought here. So there's no real use in not talking, now is there?"
When Alex still did not answer, the man sighed. "Some people just never learn. Well, at least you're going to make life more interesting and enjoyable. You're going to regret not talking right away. Oh yes. You will talk. I'll make sure of it. Now which tool should I use first? Angry guards, whip or knife? Or maybe something a bit more...creative?"
(PAGE BREAK…..PAGE BREAK…..PAGE BREAK…PAGE BREAK….PAGE BREAK)
The guard slowed his brisk pace down to a very slow one. Ben felt the apprehension rise in his stomach. They were in an empty corridor with no doors. Why was the guard slowing down to a stop?
"Here we are, Mr. Bently. The meeting is being held behind this secret panel right here. This is the real reason that I had to come to get you. In you go," the guard said while opening a section of the wall.
Filled with apprehension, Ben stepped through the entrance and found himself in a room with a long table and lots of chairs, half of which were filled with other personnel.
He immediately relaxed-but only a little bit. He took one of the empty seats and waited while the secret room slowly filled up. When every chair but two were filled, another man walked into the room. Amrit Rothman. Head of Scorpia's latest operation. Scorpia's one last chance at becoming feared once again. If they failed, they'd be forced to disband, as they were already the laughing stock of terrorist organizations. That was why it was so important for them to find each and every spy that had infiltrated the group.
"Thank you all for coming," Amrit started as he took one of the empty chairs at the head of the table. "As you undoubtedly know, there are some traitors in our midst. Yes, even in this room. One of them has already been found out and…dealt with."
All eyes in the room shifted to the empty chair that sat like a black hole in the tan colored room. Some looked on with anger, some looked on with fear. Ben looked on with a mixture of emotions. Hope that Alex was alive. Fear that he would be found out before he could get help. Guilt that it had been the 15 year-old and not him. None of these emotions played on his face, but he felt them.
"Yes. You have noticed the empty chair. Next time we meet together, there will be one more empty chair. Two spies, two empty chairs. Believe me when I tell you that there will be another empty chair. If you are the spy, I would fear for your life. Scorpia never forgives, Scorpia never forgets."
Rothman clapped his hands twice, and instantly the room was filled with guards. Two for every person in the room.
"Here is how we're going to do this. You will all be taken into the prison block, and you will all be locked in. Anyone who tries to resist will be shot. You will be interrogated until the spy is found. After that, you will immediately be released. You understand how important it is for us to find this man," Rothman explained.
The guards stepped forward and grabbed someone and escorted them all to the prison cells.
One cell in the back corner was occupied. Since they came through a secret passageway, they entered the cell hall right next to this cell.
It took all of Ben's training not to let anything show on his face when he caught sight of a bloody, unconscious figure on the ground of the cell, where he had obviously been thrown carelessly in. Alex's blonde hair was matted down with blood.
Ben held back a shudder and hoped that, for once, MI6 decided to send help quickly. The two of them might not survive long enough if Blunt (once again) waited.