Terribly sorry, it's another short chapter, but at least its on time! Like before, if you have any suggestions just let me know, or let me know what you think is gonna happen next! Cyber cookies if you call it correctly!
-Ara
P.S. wrote a short about Yassen and Alex in an elevator, you guys should check it out and let me know what you think! It's called Paying it Forward, by me, Ara Reed :P
He didn't dare look at the men in front of him, the thirty or so confused stares directed at him, so he turned to stare down the barrel of the gun to glare at his captor. He wouldn't be cowed by this bastard, he had had enough of the games. A moment ago he had felt embarrassed and nervous, alone and… afraid. But now he felt, empty. This was almost par for the course for him. Captured and paraded about, used.
"On your knees, Rider." The man spat, seeing something in Alex's eyes that he didn't like.
"Whatever you say." He breathed as he slowly sank to his knees. Alex took a moment to survey the situation and then looked resolutely at the ground, still unable to face the SAS men's gazes.
"Set up the equipment." The leader said into the crowd, and one of the gunmen broke away from guard duty to rush over to a TV and VCR set up in the corner of the room. It looked like something a school would use to watch informational videos, which was what the SAS used it for. Small classes were regularly held in the mess hall for the recruits when there were too many people to fit into the real classrooms. Alex had even attended one or two, catching up on information that he had missed in his sporadic bouts of training.
He took out a few devices from a bag slung around his shoulder. One looked like a regular DVD/Blu Ray player, another was a digital video camera, and the other was a bulky looking wifi router. He plugged everything in, finding an internet jack and rolling the TV stand over to it. It was ludicrous to Alex. All these people held at gunpoint, watching someone set up some outdated TV. The tension in the room spoke volumes, everyone just waiting to find out what this was all about, what these crazy people were up to. Alex wanted to know as well.
The video camera was angled to see the entire room, and it was recording. He could tell by the red light.
When the gunman was finished he approached the crowd of SAS men and grabbed one at random, dragging him to a spot equidistant between the other guards and their leader. He was made to kneel and face Alex, so that he could see the man's face. Alex's heart sank.
"I'll probably have to ask this more than once, but I'm willing to give you some incentive." The gunman with the hostage pulled out a pistol and pointed it at the man's head. The soldier's face barely moved, but Alex could see him tense. He was putting on a brave face. "Who are you?"
"You know who I am, you said my last name."
The man pistol whipped him across the jaw. Alex tasted blood. For a horrified moment he checked to make sure all his teeth were still in place, his mouth felt like it was on fire, but they were all still there. He must have cut his lip or bit his tongue. He couldn't tell.
He turned back and spat the blood on the man's army boots. It didn't seem to faze him.
"What is your name, and who do you work for?" He asked, prodding him in his aching jaw with the pistol.
"Cub, with the SAS."
The gunman cocked his weapon, a .38 revolver. It's fat, iconic barrel coming to rest on the soldier's temple.
The leader squatted down beside him and leaned closer. With one hand he gestured with the gun towards the camera, with the other he pulled back the black mask that obscured his face. "I can see your pupils dilate with fear." He whispered maliciously, smiling. "Look at the camera, kid, and tell us your real name."
Alex didn't look away. He was too shocked.
"Who do you work for?" The leader's eyes burrowed into Alex, unblinking, and Alex stared right back.
"Don't tell them anything, Cub!" Someone shouted from the crowd. Alex didn't need to look to tell who it was. Wolf just had to go and open his dumb mouth. "They won't…"
"Shut up! You don't know who you're dealing with, Wolf." Alex growled. He didn't take his eyes off the leader, who still crouched beside him. "They're assassins!"
"Oh we're more than that." The leader whispered, and then cracked him on the head again with the gun. He fell forward to the ground. Dazed, he didn't see the signal that the leader gave to his gunman, and he didn't see what happened when the gun went off.
He jerked at the sound and rested his head against the cold hard floor as someone screamed the soldier's name. A Unit member, no doubt. What had the man's name been? Some sort of cat or something. The name that his friend was yelling was unintelligible.
He picked himself up off the ground as they dragged the body away. "You…" He began, unable to find adequate words and unable to risk someone else to this madman's wrath.
"… have no one to blame but yourself." He said with cold eyes. "You'll get all of these good soldiers killed if you don't start cooperating on time, kid. You were always stubborn, but now it's time to listen, Alex Rider."
After disposing of the corpse, the free gunman returned to the crowd and dragged out a new hostage. Wolf. Bloody, stupid, Wolf, who drew attention to his dumb self. The revolver descended on his head and Wolf just glared forward. Not at Alex, for a change, but at the leader.
"Whatever it is that you want, Cub won't have the answers. Question one of us." Wolf said clearly and deliberately.
From Wolf's perspective it was a good plan. The soldiers were trained for this kind of situation, and no doubt Wolf would feel more secure with someone who could control it better. One soldier had already been killed, and he had to watch as a kid was questioned and abused. It's what Alex would have done, asked them to 'take me instead.' But Wolf didn't know what was going on here, for that matter neither did Alex, but he had more information than Wolf did. He had to stay right here.
The leader looked at Wolf with amusement. "Do you know anything? I'm not here to question anyone, I'm here to cause a bit of mayhem." He said, lifting the gun to point at Wolf.
Alex moved. Not for the gun, but for the space in between it and Wolf, the barrel once again pointed at his forehead. This time by choice.
"Stop this." He spat. His breath quickened and his chest hurt. He wanted to rub at his heart, to ease some of the building pain, to relax the tense muscles, but any move he made would be interpreted as a move for the gun.
The leader snorted. "Cute." His finger tightened around the trigger.
"Cub!" Wolf called sharply.
"You are my problem, Stecha, "Alex growled, "and you will deal with me."
There was an audible click as the man released the hammer and lowered his weapon. With a lazy motion he pulled the black mask all the way off his head, exposing himself to everyone in the room. "You caught on faster than I would have thought, Alex. Well done." He didn't smile, but instead grimaced in appreciation. "I could have sworn you would have played dumb for your friends' benefit."
He moved backwards, putting space in between himself and his captive. The gun still rested in his hands, but it was pointed toward the ground. Not exactly a safer situation, but anything that kept him from looking down the barrel of that gun again was a good thing.
"Will you cooperate now," Stecha asked, "or do I have to play with your friend… Wolf, was it?" He smiled viciously and Alex had no doubt whatsoever that he was serious.
The boy glared.
"What is your name? Who do you work for?"
"Alex Rider, I work for MI6."
"Say it to the camera, boy. It's all for them." He grinned.
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