Chapter Two. More comments please...It's still Leo!

The small gathering, as Steph had dubbed it, was a full out gala. Alex wore nondescript clothing, a plain polo shirt and nice dark slacks. Jack had changed into a summer dress. Fred had invited a few co-workers, who were mingling outside. Alex, despite the large amount of time he had been at the house had yet to meet Jack's elusive brother. It slightly irritated him. The Air Force man was talking to a few older men, sharing war stories.

"Come over here Alex!" He called. "I was just telling them about Jack's lucky trip to the airport this morning. What did you think."

"She was very brave."

"That's right. What would you have done?"

Catch the runner, force them on the floor, start basic interrogation until backup arrives... Alex shrugged. "Well, I froze today. I didn't know what to do."

Bryan clapped him on the back. Alex tried not to flinch. "You'd make a great pilot."

Alex responding without thinking. "I don't think so."

"Why not?" Bryan looked concerned.

One of his buddies shoved in. "You can never tell with the Brits, almost as bad as the French. Yellow bellies all."

Alex lost all formalities. "Excuse me? I believe I misheard you. After all, during World War I and II, did Europe fight for four or five years until the Americans strolled in the last year? Did France not lose thousands of civilians and bury millions of boys in their fields?" He was face to face with the man. Alex could smell liquoron his breath.

He turn on his heel. "I'm going outside."

Alex spotted Jack, and waved. She beckoned him over, and introduced him to Fred. He was much taller than her, with the same shock of red hair and bubbly personally. "Nice to meet you Alex."

"Same." Alex stiffly shook his hand. "Were do you work."

Fred grinned. "I shouldn't tell, but because your family and all... I work at Langley."

Alex windned his eye, the perfect picture of shock and awe. "Wow. Do you work on a lot of top secret stuff?"

"No." Fred shook his head. "I'd love to go into Spec Ops." He made a gun out of his fingers. With a horrible British accent he drawled, "I'm Bond. James Bond."

Alex blinked. "I'm sure you are. But you left your six pack at the office."

The siblings stared at him. Fred opened and closed his mouth. "Uhhh?"

"Sorry." Jack handed Fred some water. "Alex has an odd..." she glared at him "sense of humour. Right?" She hissed through gritted teeth.

"Yes. I do."

A large truck barreled it's way through the lawn. A young man jumped out the back. "I have 'em. Get 'em before their gone!"

Jack looked confused. "What?"

Alex had seen they were unloading weapons. Lots of them. He felt his gut clench...

Fred shouted. "Who's ready for paint ball?"

He started to pass out the gear first. "There will be a safely check!" He called. "No gear, no play. Keep it out of doors or on the bottom level of the house."

Soon they were out of equipment. Fred had saved some for Jack. "Sorry, all i could get as a handgun." He had a machene gun type slung over his back. She trunedit down. "I'm going to catch up with Beth! Let Alex go." Before she left, she pulled him tom the side. "Give them hell."

Alex mock saluted. "Yesma'am!"

Jack ruffled his hair and went inside.

The teams had been selected, but Alex was excluded. The leader of his team had singled him out. "Don't get in the way."

Alex had nodded in responce. The horn sounded far off. There was the brief moment of panic, withrandom shooting and tramping. Alex made a beeline for the house. He entered with Bryan and his Air Force buddies. They ignored him. Stomping could be heard throughout the house. Alex settled himself in one of the chairswith a nice view of the door way. A member from one other teams stuck their head in. Their faceguard was soddenly covered in paint. They staggered out, Alex watching coldly. By the third time, the teams had begun to notice. So had the occupants of the room. Bryan had marched over.

"What are you playing at?"

"Eliminating the target."

Bryan snorted. "If you keep this up, they'll figure it out."

Alex nodded. That was the plan.

Soon a small group, five people stormed the room. Alex sat in his chair. "Hello boys."

They looked at him.

"On your feet." One growled.

Alex complied.

"Middle of the floor."

Alex walked to the centre of the room, dropping to his knees, hands behind his head.

Three circled him, two others acting as guards. Classic military behaviour. Alex wasn't classic military behaviour though.

They pated him down. He didn't movie. Alex knew if he kept kneeling on the gun, it would break. Time to make his move.

He picked who he thought was the most likely to be the leader, and shot them in the back of the head. he took two others town before he was subdued.

It was very painful.

Alex glaredat them both.