Disclaimer: Don't own Alex Rider.
A/N: A few brilliant reviews aside, almost all credit to Techie who moaned and moaned at me for not giving her any work to do. I was very much bullied into this and it came out a lot easier than last time. I hope you like...
Alex assumed that Ciro had radioed his escort as he left the room, because he was barely past the ballroom and heading for the bottom of the corridor when he heard the telltale click-clack of the high-heels approaching.
A little something snapped.
He turned and hurried off in the other direction, hands plunged into his pockets, one fisted around the key Chiara had 'given' him. He was willing to bet that his new minder wouldn't be so unprofessional as to suffer the indignity of yelling at him to wait up. So provided he got back to his room before she could cut him off, he would be able to content himself with a small victory. And somehow even a small victory seemed important right now.
He kept his head down, choosing corridors at random, ignoring the gazes and beginnings of sentences that tried to drift to him as he jogged by. He glanced at people's feet as he passed by and as fancy leather shoes and stilettos gradually became the dark bluntness of soldier and security footwear he surmised that he was heading in the right direction for his room.
She took her job seriously. A few corridors and only 40% lostness later, he felt someone step into pace behind him.
"Can I help you?" Alex snapped, turning his head for a second, refusing to stop walking.
The guard kept a discreet distance. "Not unless they put you in charge of employee wages."
Alex's eyebrows flickered in surprise. A Scorpia minion who seemed to be able to think for himself. There was a novelty.
"I could help you" the soldier offered. "I presume you're looking for your bedroom?"
"You guys aren't big on floor plans, are you" Alex remarked, walking a little faster.
"Funny you should say that-"
Alex had led them past other guards. His shadow fell suddenly silent. Alex clicked.
"You work for my Dad?" He asked casually once they were out of earshot.
"Perhaps. I'm only following you because a little message came into my earpiece to tell me that you hadn't waited for your minder and might need some assistance."
Alex turned, appraising the guard. He was about the age of the K-unit, dark-skinned, curly haired - although the hair was cut short, probably mandatory. Steady eyes, strong build, carrying, a good head taller than Alex, easy honest smile. Definitely on the wrong side. So it figured he worked for John. The accent was French.
"Been working here long?" Alex inquired, aware of the soldier trying to look him up and down without being obvious.
"Just about the same time your dad came out of his coma...unfortunately this isn't a great place to talk. I just wanted to see if you were alright. There's no need to be ashamed in failing to kill our friend earlier. It can take a lot of nerve to kill someone who's right in your face, and I bet your nerves are shot with coming here and seeing your mother and all. So no shame, okay?"
"I'm not ashamed."
His companion frowned. "You're not? Well. I guess that's good then..."
"Isn't this conversation being picked up by cameras?" Alex asked, annoyed. As if he had been weak. What he'd chosen to do was a harder test of nerve. Didn't this guy realise it? Alex had been about to put thousands of innocents on the line just for one creep who had threatened to kill his best friend last night. Who knows what would have happened if his dad hadn't sent Yassen in. But Alex was glad he'd made the choice. He had enough people in his head, dying over and over in his mind.
"There are cameras just about everywhere, true" the soldier shrugged, moving quicker to keep pace with Alex "but there are a few blind spots, and I have a friend who temporarily tugged a couple of wires out while he's taking his shift on surveillance. One or two cameras cut out for a few moments. Happens all the time. No, it's that way."
Alex changed direction.
"Your dad has a lot of support. Don't worry. When the time comes, we can take them."
"Sorry?"
"He's had a lot of people brought in who want to stop Scorpia. Like me. But he has a lot of allies from his old Scorpia days. So don't worry. That's all I'm saying. You have a lot of back up. And as soon as you can get her to tell you exactly what's going on behind the closed doors we can step in."
Alex frowned and nodded. It sounded like civil war. But he supposed shutting Scorpia down would take a lot of manpower. "I recognise where I am now" he said. "Thanks."
"My name's Leroi Moreaux by the way. Sounds a little like 'the king of death', but don't read too much into it. My mother has a wicked sense of humour."
"Mine too" Alex muttered.
"Ahh. Sorry, I wasn't thinking. I'll try to keep your minder off your back, just ask for me if you need help, okay?"
"Okay."
Leroi grinned, and patted Alex on the back. Then he did something Alex didn't expect. He stood back, clicked his heels together and saluted.
It might have been a joke. But Alex didn't think it was. He smiled grimly and headed for the lift.
He made it back to his bedroom uneventfully. Put his back to the door to close it, and leaned against it, shutting his eyes and letting his breath out in one long hiss between his teeth.
Only to be interrupted by the phone on the wall ringing. Alex reached over and snatched it up. "Yes?" He growled.
"Master Rider? I was just calling to confirm that you'd made it back to your bedroom safely." The clipped tones of Miss High-heels.
"No-one tried to assassinate me if that's what you mean."
"If you need anything please give me a call. I believe I'm the second button on your phone. It would probably be for the best if you informed me when you wish to leave your room. I can have someone escort you and prevent you from getting lost."
"I think I will most definitely be staying in my bedroom, thank you."
"Very well Master Ri-"
Alex ground his knuckles into his eyes. "Just Alex. Please."
"That is wise, you want to distance yourself from your father's name. Very well, Alex, good evening."
And she hung up. Alex stared at the phone. That wasn't what I meant.
He left the phone off the hook and made his way to the bathroom, taking deep calming breaths.
Then he pulled out the key, wiped it on the knee of his jeans to make sure it was dry, and examined it.
It was gold-coloured, almost old-fashioned looking, with a thin barrel to hold. He turned it around in his fingers, feeling for the catch. It came up easily. There was paper rolled up into a tight scroll inside. He dug it out with his nails and flattened it out across his knee. Frowned at it, turned it over. Held it up to the light. Picked at its edge see to if there was a layer of paper in between. Returned to the key to see if there was anything else inside. Then went back to it frowning.
It was only half. But Alex knew exactly what it was.
Carbonated water, Colour (Caramel E150d), Sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame K), Phosphoric Acid, Flavourings (Including Caffeine)....
It was part of a label from a fizzy drink bottle. No special markings. Nothing. Normal.
What the hell was Chiara up to?
He stared at it for a moment, then frowned and let it drop to the floor, getting up and walking from the bathroom.
He had just one idea. He headed for the fridge.
The fridge was accompanied by a freezer, microwave and toaster and oven. It was huge. There were probably a hundred fizzy drink bottles in there.
And then he noticed the drinks pump on the other side of the oven. There were nine or ten options, half of them fizzy drinks. One of the fizzy drinks was his. So perhaps he had a better chance of finding out if his hunch was correct. He hoped Chiara didn't expect him to pull a drink machine apart.
The fridge was stock full of food. Some things he couldn't even identify. His fingers brushed jars and cartons aside, eyes narrowed as he looked for the correct mix of colours in the kaleidoscope of labels and prints.
Right at the back. Well hidden. He reached his arm in and lifted the bottle, jiggling it slightly.
The weight felt wrong. Result.
He withdrew his arm, and unscrewed the bottle top, taking a quick glance inside as he shut the fridge door. He could see paper. He brought the bottle to his lips taking a quick imaginary swig, then wandered around the room, looking restless.
He was back in the bathroom a moment later, tipping the contents of the bottle out onto the bathroom floor.
There was a weight she'd used to attempt to simulate the heaviness of liquid. He put it in his pocket and gave his attention to his message.
Six pieces of paper gave him the floor plans. He positioned them together, trying to memorise what was in front of him, picking out his bedroom, and the ballroom, and the routes he'd taken to and from. Cameras were marked in purple, a lighter shade representing their scope. Leroi had been right about the blind spots. There were question marks over some rooms, including the three across the hallway from his and his mother's and Ciro's bedrooms.
Alex was relieved to see that there was no camera in his bathroom. There was one in the bedroom, but its focus was Alex's door and the veranda, less about Alex and more about who might be coming to speak to/ attack him, he guessed. He felt a slight warm glow towards his mother, which he instantly stifled.
The floor plans had other notes about security and shifts scrawled in tiny handwriting, and the rooms and corridors were all numbered. Alex's room was number six.
There was also a list of names, entitled 'JR's'. Chiara's name was there. As was Leroi's. And Yassen's of course. The writing was small, and there were a lot of names. Alex was surprised. John Rider had been in a coma. He'd only been awake a month and he already had so many followers? He must have shipped a lot in through some of his existing followers. But how could he know so many people? Certainly he would have known a lot of people from Scorpia, but they were all bad guys. There could be a few from the old days like Yassen who were in this for John himself. But all the others...where had John got all these good guys?
Alex was impressed. He couldn't help it. John had a small army. He understood that destroying Scorpia needed more than two men and a boy. Still, with so many, how could John be sure all were loyal? Perhaps they didn't all know about each other, so a traitor would only be able to betray one or two people and perhaps betray them to someone who secretly worked for John anyway. It wasn't clear from the list how John was working things, only that he had a lot of support.
There were two other pieces of paper, a note from John and a note from Chiara. John's note was short.
7th Jan 1am
Room 45
Entry code 21583
Memorise and destroy
JR
Chiara's was a little fuller.
Hey Alex!!
You figured out the drink thing! See, it's not true what they say about blonds, is it?! Or maybe you were looking for a drink and are feeling rather hard done by now. Anyway. You see you've to meet your dad tonight. Tell him how helpful I was! There's a map of the building which you will need to hide or eat. Ditto the names. Your mummy must have an i-pod or something in that big giant room for you, I'll sneak up tomorrow and borrow it off you and make a verbal recording of the map of the building, so you can walk about and not get lost. Although you will have to remember to bop your head to just the right degree, so people think you're listening to music, but don't get curious enough to look over your shoulder and see you're listening to 'corridor3' or something!!
I want that chocolate fountain!!!
!Chiara!
xxxxxx
Ps: I'm not kidding about the hide-or-eat part. You are sooo busted if the maid comes in to clean up in the morning and finds a list of the rebellion-makers. :)
Alex blew the air out of his mouth. He was definitely telling his dad that he needed a new intermediary. He scrunched Chiara's note up and, after making sure he had remembered the information, John's too. He took another glance over the list of names, then added that to the pile. He went over to the sink and made sure the plug was in. He dumped the paper in and turned the tap, watching it fill up.
Once he had a little pile of gump he released the plug and let it wash down the drain. Then he went back to the floor plan. He wanted to check what his route to room forty-five tonight was. The direct route involved passing far too many guards for Alex's liking. He also had the guards who would be outside his door and might alert his mother if he chose to take a walk at 1am.
He lay on his stomach, rattling the bottle top around his mouth, eyes focused on the information in front of him.
Finally, he smiled, stood, and the floor plan followed its predecessors down the drain.
The discarded label was stuffed down the bottle neck, lid screwed back on, and Alex stepped out of the bathroom wondering if he had his own garbage disposal or if the bottle was returning to the back of the fridge.
It was midnight before he knew it. He'd shifted his bed slightly, so that it was safely out of the camera's range. He let a film blare out and wash over him as he lay on the bed, trying hard to do anything but think.
At almost exactly midnight, Helen knocked on his door and pushed her head through. "Alex?"
Alex blinked a few times, expecting the light from the movie to show up his face enough to reveal that he looked tired. "Hi."
"We're just going to sleep sweetheart. Is everything okay in here?"
"It's fine."
Helen glanced the dangling phone. "You're a bad boy."
Alex chuckled softly.
"People are so annoying, aren't they" Helen grinned. Her face reflected the blue, and he marvelled at how much she looked like a real mother. Gently, she placed the phone back where it belonged. "Don't stay up too late, okay? We can have breakfast tomorrow and talk some more and Ciro and I will let you in on our big secret!" She was nearly clapping her hands in delight.
"Sounds kind of ominous."
She giggled. "It's quite funny really. Anyway. Get a good night's sleep darling. Be sure to lock that patio door, but there'll be a guard out in the corridor if you need him."
"G'night."
She lingered in the doorway, looking at him. Her eyes were bright in the light from the film, but now they got brighter, and Alex felt his throat constrict in mild panic.
Helen wiped her forefinger under first one eye and then the other, giggling a little, staring at the carpet. "I'm sorry darling, I'm just being silly. But I've waited a long time to say that to you." She wiped her eyes again and giggled again.
Alex watched her, stuck between alarm and pity and repulsion. Why did she act like a child? Giggling and clapping her hands? Was she crazy or just pretending to be?
One thing he did know. She loved him. It stung. Alex didn't cry on the outside. But he could feel it inside his body, watching her laugh at her own attempts not to cry. She loved him. And he was betraying her. But there was nothing he could do. She couldn't just kill people. She couldn't just make herself queen of Scorpia and expect nothing to come of it.
An arm slipped around Helen's waist, and Ciro's head popped over her shoulder, hugging her to him. He kissed her ear, then turned his black eyes on Alex. "I thought you had a headache?"
"I got over it" Alex said sullenly.
Ciro smiled charmingly, teeth blue. "That's a good film. Come on, Helen."
Helen sighed heavily. "Good night, Alex."
"Good night mum."
Helen didn't seem to want to leave, but Ciro drew her back, steering her to the corridor. The door closed. Good. He hadn't wanted her coming in to say goodnight and not find him in his room.
MI6 had taken his watch, but he was willing to bet there would be a selection for him to choose from here. He hopped up from the bed and started opening drawers. Then he picked between ten options and fastened it around his wrist.
He let the film blast on, heading for the accident and emergency corner. There sat fire extinguisher, fire blanket, first aid cabinet, some kind of handbook that really didn't serve a purpose, unless you bled really slowly, and the one thing Alex was interested in. He'd noticed it in an earlier voyage of discovery around his room.
Rope ladder. Presumably for escaping a fire if you couldn't get to the front door. All you had to do was get out onto the balcony and attach it to two little hooks and off you went. Alex took it from its hook and unwound it, making sure of its length. Whoever was on camera duty could notice him climbing down, but Alex had to assume John had accounted for that. If the camera surveyed both doors, he would be seen leaving the room whichever way he chose.
He wound the rope back up and took it to his bed, avoiding the camera range as best he could. Then he waited.
At twenty to one, he chose a dark jacket, unclicked the patio door, and stepped outside into the cold, rope ladder over one shoulder, shutting the door behind him and setting the rope up as quickly as possible.
He wasted no time in making his decent, as soon as he was certain there wasn't a guard directly below him.
He dropped lightly to the ground, and took hold of the bottom of the ladder, using two ties to bind Chiara's weight to the bottom rung. He bunched the bottom of the ladder up tightly and threw it.
It wasn't his best throw ever, but the weight did the trick. The bottom of the ladder swung up onto the balcony. The middle of the ladder still hung over a little, but probably not enough for someone down below to notice.
He dug his hands into his pockets and began to walk around the building, keen to avoid the cameras as he could, looking for humans.
Security was good. He'd walked for barely thirty seconds when he was lit in a spotlight and someone snarled "hands on your head!"
"So you don't shoot people on sight" Alex said casually, as the gun prodded into the small of his back. "That's good to know."
There was an oath, the light shifted from Alex's eyes, and the gun fell back. "It's Miss Beckett's kid" someone said.
Three guards. All staring at him, like they hadn't been trained for this.
"Well don't stand about!" Alex said hotly, "someone could be breaking in back there, while you're holding me up from my walk."
He couldn't see their faces well in the dark, but he didn't think he'd engendered any affection.
The guy in charge of the other two - Alex didn't want to say leader, didn't really want to think about Leader right now - grunted and they withdrew, continuing on their patrol.
"This isn't a good time to be talking a walk, sonny. Some of the people out here are a little more trigger-happy than I am. Does your mother know you're out here?"
"I didn't see any point in disturbing her to tell her I'm getting some fresh air." Alex grumbled. "I'm going in anyway. Where's the door?"
"I'll show you." Alex could tell that the guard wasn't usually this nice. Could tell that he was itching to grab him by the scruff of the neck and haul him indoors. But Helen had made a clear point today. Leader had been caught glaring at Alex and died a couple of hours later. Alex cursed inwardly. There he was, thinking about Leader again. This guy was delighted to get Alex indoors and out of his responsibility. He didn't ask how Alex had got outside in the first place. He only wanted to make sure he wasn't going to take the fall for the son of his boss being accidentally shot down as an intruder.
He took Alex to the expected side-door. It was locked, as Alex had also expected. His new friend opened it and he was ushered inside hurriedly. "Do you want me to show you to your room?" he could see the guard now. Hard. Eyes dull. Forehead wrinkled in annoyance that he had to deal with this. The kind of guy who liked carrying out orders. Who liked his job. Who didn't enjoy surprises, like having to talk to a spoiled teenager who he couldn't even clip around the ear.
"No, I know where it is" Alex said airily. "Thanks, I guess" he tossed over one shoulder as he set off along the dimly-lit corridor. He heard the door slam and the click of the lock and smiled to himself. At first he'd poured over the floor plans, trying to work out how evade the guards and get through locked doors. Then he'd realised his mistake. This part wasn't a spying mission. He only had to get from A to B in a place where he more or less belonged. Instead of evading the guards, he'd meant to find some, preferably near the door he was trying to get through. He wasn't Scorpia's pet hate anymore. He was the freaking prince. And he had to exploit that. There was no way that guard would risk waking Helen or Ciro to tell them the kid had been strolling around outside aimlessly, doing no harm. It was unimportant.
And now Alex wasn't far from room forty-five. He strode down the corridors quickly but quietly, keeping his head down. He passed a young woman with a clipboard, dark rings under her eyes and a suit jacket that was too tight for her. Alex ignored her till she came up close, then smiled vaguely, looking through her as she passed him by. Bored. Confident. Meant to be here. He wasn't worried about her, she looked like she wanted nothing more than to get to bed.
There were two other guards, stepping out of room fifty-five or fifty-six, just as Alex was walking past. Bad timing. Alex kept walking, waiting for someone to grab his collar or yell out to him. The guards were talking quietly and he thought he heard one guard use his name, explaining to the other. They weren't interested. And they headed off in the other direction which helped too.
He finally reached what he remembered to be room forty five. There was a keypad by the door. He jabbed the number in. There was a buzz as the lock was freed, and he stepped inside. 1am exactly. He hoped John was impressed.
John Rider was waiting for him. He was sitting on a table-top, but jumped down as Alex approached.
His handsome face was still like thunder. It made the breath catch in Alex's throat. It confused him. He didn't fear John, and yet somehow he did. Well this was happened if you spent your whole life wishing for your parents. You got the whole package. Including the brimming fury that made you feel even smaller than you were. What was it called? Discipline.
Not that Alex would let his father know that he was nervous. He stopped walking towards John and stood his ground. John marched up to him, and for a moment Alex thought he was going to have to take a slap. But John's hands formed furious gestures instead. "What the hell did you think you were doing?"
Alex was almost tempted to play it innocent. Doing when? But he was going to have to face it anyway. "The whole point of this mission is to stop people dying" he said pointedly "not help them get down to it."
John gritted his teeth, then pointed at an armchair. "Sit down, Alex."
Alex did as he was told, eying John warily. Why did people always feel they had to have him sitting down when they spoke to him? Did it make them feel more powerful? He caught sight of Yassen, sitting in another chair, legs crossed, watching impassively. The murder that Alex had mulled over didn't mean a thing to him. Yassen had a phrasebook perched on his lap, Alex couldn't see which language from his angle. He guessed from a quick scan of the decor that this was Yassen's room. Or temporary accommodation. The room was simple, big without the proportions and accessories of Alex's room: bed, wardrobe, desk, chairs, books, TV, classical music, fridge and en-suite bathroom. Like a hotel room. But the lack of windows made it feel enclosed and cold. Like Yassen's face. Alex wasn't sure if he didn't care about the pending argument or if he was on John's side. Either way, Alex didn't expect any support.
John ran a hand through his hair, blowing his breath out loudly and shutting his eyes in a dramatic search for peace.
It didn't help much.
His eyes still glittered in fury as he leaned over Alex, hands fisting and unfisting at his sides. "I understand that this is difficult for you, Alex. It's not something I would have chosen for you. And I'm sorry that you probably feel that you're the rope in a tug of war. But you have to see the bigger picture! You can't stand and deliberate over whether you want to kill someone when we are this close to saving all those people!"
And, of course, he had to hold his fingers in front of Alex's face, barely a centimetre apart.
Alex gritted his teeth and didn't argue. He knew John had a point. He willed him to drop the subject.
John took Alex's attempt at peace as defiance.
"Do you realise" he started pacing, and Alex thought of Ciro, "that if Helen decides not to trust you with her secrets, then we will be powerless? You put the whole mission at risk, by one foolish hesitation!"
Alex narrowed his eyes. As far as he could tell, John was in no position to tell him what to do. He might be his father, he might be spearheading the fight for the good guys, but Alex was the one who had to have Helen hugging him and breaking into tears and trying so hard to please him. Alex was the one, and surely the only one, who could find out what Ciro and Helen were up to. He needed more respect than this.
It wouldn't have bothered him. It didn't. He was on a mission, he had to do what the mission controller said. What bothered him was that his charming, noble father was quite happy to see him shoot a man dead, and only intervened because he had no other choice. He tried not to think of family ties, but he couldn't help himself.
"Do you know who Alexi Sarov was?" he snapped out, "well I as good as killed him. And I see him in my head and watch the bullet enter him every single day. And you actually wanted me to add someone else to the list?!"
"You've got to stop thinking about yourself and concentrate on the bigger picture, Alex. I know it was hard. But that's not an excuse. Countless thousands of lives are on the line here! You can't throw that away for some Scorpia underling!"
"Yeah, well the countless thousands weren't a couple of feet away silently begging me" Alex muttered, glaring at the blue carpet. The problem with the bigger picture was that it was kind of hazy when you didn't know who was going to die, how they were going to die or when. All these 'innocents' were a blur of nothing until he got some concrete information on them from his mother.
"Alex" John shook his head in amazement. "Alex, do you know who that man was? He was a murderer. Rapist. He was a bad, bad man. He didn't deserve to live. That's what I don't understand. I can see you hesitating to kill someone innocent, even though it would be the lesser of two evils. But there was nothing in that man that was worthwhile-"
Alex listened to John calling the dead man a few choice words. He gazed sidelong in his chair like a prisoner of war. Dad was right of course. But that didn't make it feel right.
"You can't be weak, Alex. There's plenty of time for that. I'll never have to ask you to go on a mission again. But right now, you must follow orders. You've escaped it this time, but only just. If you don't prove yourself to Helen-"
"I know, you already said" Alex growled.
"You're not used to taking orders, are you? That's the problem." John looked away from him bitterly.
Alex was very close to screaming that John hadn't even bothered to appraise him of the situation, had blatantly failed to mention that he and Helen were divorced. But he held himself back. He knew John would just throw it back in his face. Would say that Alex should have worked it out. That it didn't need saying. He wouldn't concede a point. Alex knew that because he felt just the same.
"Do you want me to help you, or not?" he snapped out instead. "Because I decide when and if I shoot someone. I'm not going to take an order I don't agree with. Even from you, dad. Even if the whole planet depends on it. I'm glad I didn't kill him."
John sensed just how riled up Alex was about this. He wasn't in a strong enough position to push the argument further. He changed tack. The anger shifted a little. "But you think we're still on track? She'll tell you?"
Alex was surprised at how relieved he felt. He knew John was still mad at him, and he certainly was still mad at him too. But he didn't want to argue with him. He wanted John's respect. He wanted John to like him.
"She suggest telling me a secret and Ciro said maybe tomorrow. But I won't know exactly what they're going to tell me and if it's relevant or not till then."
John brightened, and nodded seriously. Alex was a little consoled. This was how it should be.
"So it could all go down as soon as tomorrow" John remarked musingly, glancing over at Yassen, who looked up from his phrasebook. "We weren't expecting you to gain her trust so quickly."
"She's-" Alex stopped himself.
"She's what?"
Alex had been about to say "she's mad". But it didn't feel right to say so to John. He didn't even know for certain if it were true. "Why would Ciro just reveal his plan to me, though?" he said instead. "Isn't that..."
"Self-confidence? Yes. And the man has it in bucket loads. Unfortunately he's wrong. He doesn't know how many of his people actually work for me. And he's misjudged you, of course. Despite what he's probably heard about you, he sees a fourteen year old and he thinks you're easy. You didn't help the impression by refusing to follow your mother's direction to shoot that man, but we'll put that behind us. He still thinks he has everything under control, and while you're under his wing there's little he thinks you can do, if you wanted to. If you're not overwhelmed by your mother and the wealth around you."
"Who is he anyway?"
John glanced at Yassen, then back to Alex. "How would I know, son? I've been in a coma for fourteen years. All I know is that I woke up one day to find I'd been exchanged for a younger model, who happens to be a neo-Scorpia high flyer."
"He told me that he's the head of Scorpia, not mum."
"They're in it together. There's no point in feeling any sympathy towards her, Alex. She's wicked."
"When we stop Scorpia...what's going to happen to her?"
Alex sensed Yassen glance up from his book again. John examined his son's face. "What do you think, Alex?" He asked quietly.
Alex couldn't hold the gaze. He stared at his expensive trainers.
John's voice softened. He crouched before Alex, and Alex remembered how he'd felt this morning, when the arms had came around him and held him tight.
"I promise you" John said gently "when you find out what she's planning, you'll know what's right."
Alex still avoided the searching eyes. He felt weak.
"You're tired and you're stressed out. Just trust me. Everything will be okay."
Alex wasn't good at trust. He met John's eyes and tried to smile.
"Good man" John grinned and clapped him across the back. Maybe it'll just take tomorrow and it'll all be over-"
Like a bad dream.
"-so I've asked young Chiara to pay you a visit tomorrow. You can tell her if you've heard. She'll pass the message on to us."
"Oh. Yeah, I was going to ask, can we lose Chiara please? I want somebody else."
"Whatever for? She's hot!" John poked his arm teasingly, all the thunderclouds melted into sunshine.
"She's ridiculous. She thinks she's playing a game."
"She kissed you" John smiled knowingly.
Alex tried to hold back a blush. "Exactly! If you were watching, then so many other people could have been! And she chose that moment to pass your message on. The risk-"
"She's not too old for you, you know, you're in with a good chance."
"I'm not-!" Alex turned to Yassen pleadingly.
"She is good cover" Yassen remarked without looking up this time.
"Exactly" John said. "You'll just have to put up with her teasing you, Alex. If we send anyone else it won't look innocent. Why would an unauthorised soldier keep paying you a visit? But a girl who likes you, especially since there aren't many young people living here or associated with Scorpia headquarters, it's perfect."
Alex wanted to argue further. But he knew he'd be chancing making himself look silly and petty and infatuated. Which wasn't true at all. He was trying to think of the mission.
"If you really don't like her, then you know what you have to do" John smiled. "Find out what your mother's up to and that's your job done. No more Chiara. Although if I were your age-"
"Yeah, well she fancies you too" Alex muttered sourly. "She'll make a really great step-mum for me. Don't let me get in the way."
John threw his head back and laughed even more loudly than before. "She might be a woman to you, but she's just a little girl to me. And I have decided in this past month that getting serious about a woman is a waste of time. So no step-mum for you, you'll be glad to hear. But you should loosen up, have some fun. All the girls were eyeing you tonight, never mind Chiara. But I think she'll be good for you."
"He has a girlfriend" Yassen intoned.
John frowned in surprise. "Oh, yes. Well, you know, Alex, whatever you want to do. If this girl means that much to you, then fine. You can see her as soon as this is over, and it shouldn't be long. But pretending to like Chiara is part of your mission, and if I had to sleep with Julia Rothman, then you can surely pretend to like Chiara for a day or two."
Alex couldn't believe that his father could throw out Julia Rothman's name like that. Like it didn't matter. Like Rothman hadn't loved him. Hadn't loved him and hated him and hated Alex and nearly killed him. Hadn't been the nail in the coffin of the Rider's marriage.
"That's why mum went off with Ciro, you know" he couldn't help himself. "Because of Julia Rothman, and all the others."
John's smile faded. "Don't play marriage counsellor, son, it doesn't suit you. And don't forget that your mother has made herself out to be a victim, but she married me as a nurse, while secretly a Scorpia agent. That's deception. How could we have a secure marriage on the basis of that? All she's ever wanted is this. And you can bet that even if Mr De Mendoza pulls the trigger on all those people, she'll be right behind him clapping her hands in glee."
Alex wanted to defend her. But he couldn't. It was all too easy picturing her clapping her hands in glee.
"You're tired" John patted his knee and rose to his feet "go to bed, get some sleep. I promise I will make this up to you."
Alex nodded. He pulled himself up from the chair feeling drained.
"You know how to get back alright?"
"Yeah."
Almost awkwardly, John leaned forward and hugged him. Alex inhaled his scent, and felt the bristle grazing his cheek. Felt the warmth and the strength and was reassured slightly. "I'll see you tomorrow, maybe" he said, dragging himself away, and heading for the door.
"Alex?"
Alex turned.
John brushed the fair hair back from his forehead and grinned gently at him "well done. You're doing so well, despite that blip."
"I should say thanks" Alex said grudgingly. "For getting me out of it even though you really wanted me to shoot him."
John frowned. Then he shook his head. "Don't thank me. It wasn't me. In fact, I've already given Mr Gregorovich a good screaming about following commands."
What?...Yassen?...Yassen...?
Alex glanced across. Yassen didn't look up from the phrasebook.
"Are you alright?" John asked.
"Yeah. Yes." Alex backed out of the room and out into the corridor, letting the door click shut behind him.
He'd been so certain that his dad had saved him from killing Leader. That he'd sent Yassen in.
It shouldn't matter. But it did. And he didn't even know what to make of it. Yassen had taken a bullet for him only a few months ago. Had saved his life a few months before that. But Alex knew and understood that it was all for John. He accepted that.
Why would Yassen break ranks with John Rider? John Rider, whom he idolised so much?
It didn't make sense.
He headed back to his bedroom trying to blink the daze from his consciousness. He couldn't even feel amused at the expression on the face of the guard who'd been outside his door. He shut the door behind him, walked over to the balcony, retrieved the rope ladder, and stared out at the night.
It was ironic, really. That he'd longed for a real family, for his parents, for so long, and yet, here they were all under one roof and he'd never felt so alone and unprotected in his life.
There were stars out. He gazed at them for inspiration, but they made him think of Ark Angel. Exhaustion, nausea, compression, and Kaspar smiling madly at him holding the knife.
He would have no piece till this was over. But maybe things would get better after that. Dad would protect him from MI6's summonings. Sabina might forgive him for being snatched away by MI6/Scorpia. Especially if he didn't mention Chiara. He and John would live somewhere peaceful, perhaps Jack would come with them, at the very least she would visit him frequently. He could have enough schooling to have half a chance of passing his GCSE's.
All he had to do was betray his mother.
He cursed himself under his breath for thinking that way and stepped back into his room, closing the patio doors. If she was going to kill people for her own profit, then Helen Rider had died when the plane went down fourteen years ago.
He would know tomorrow.
He undressed slowly, almost lethargically, then rooted about the chests of drawers until he found the one solely devoted to nightwear.
Finally, he switched the light off, and crawled into the huge bed, flopping back against the luxury and staring at the ceiling.
He could feel the tension in his muscles. He wondered if he would sleep tonight.
But as the darkness seeped into his head, he felt himself start to unwind and shut down.
He was warm, comfortable, and sleep was reaching out for him.
And then.
Muffled screams.
Alex shot upright in bed, his whole body on alert, adrenaline pumping out furiously.
His imagination. Surely his imagination. There were only two bedrooms on this floor and sound wouldn't carry far.
He listened again, ears straining, breathing in the darkness as silently as he could.
He almost relaxed again.
Then he heard it again. Beyond whimpers. Actual screams. Stifled screams.
Alex didn't know much about fun, happiness or pleasure. But he knew what pain sounded like.
He sat still and silent, the sounds drifting through his head.
What was Ciro doing to her? What should he do?
He knew he shouldn't interfere. That it wasn't anything new. That there wasn't anything he could really do.
But he couldn't lie in bed and listen to muted cries of agony. And especially not from his mother. Even if she was Helen Beckett now and not his mother at all.
He crawled out of bed and felt his way across the room in the darkness. His hands were shaking. He didn't know if it was fear, shock or anger. He found the phone that hung on the wall. He lifted the receiver. Underneath were his speed-dial buttons. The escort woman that had been assigned to shadow him has said that her number was the second button. The name was luminous green beside the button, but Alex ignored it. He had a good idea of whose phone the first button would connect him to.
He could still hear her, the quiet little noises ripping through his head, making his heart beat faster-
He pressed his thumb down on the button.
He dropped the phone from his ear in time to hear the noise cut off from the next bedroom. He felt sick. He lifted the phone back up to his ear and heard its ring.
"Alex?" his mother sounded breathless and confused. But okay. She sounded okay. And he knew she was acting.
"I was just checking the phone works. Did I wake you up?"
"...No sweetheart. You didn't. But Mummy's going to sleep now, okay? So don't you go pressing anymore buttons and waking the building up" she laughed, and it was hoarse and creaky. "Go to sleep. Or, at least, press some buttons on one of your game things if you must."
He was tempted to say he was lonely, that he was scared, that he was having nightmares and needed her to sleep in the same room as him. He gritted his teeth and wound his fist so tightly around the phone cord that it was cutting off his circulation.
"Is it quiet in there, darling? Because Ciro and I have been watching a movie and I wonder if we've had the sound up too loud and you heard us?"
"No, I didn't hear you. I was just messing about with the phone. I'm sorry I disturbed you."
She giggled. "Are you trying to compensate for the years I've not had the opportunity to tell you off? Go to bed you wicked child. I don't want you all teenagery and grouchy in the morning."
"Goodnight mum."
"Goodnight, Alex."
He hung up. He stared into space, panting slightly. Mind refusing to connect again, sparks igniting everywhere in his brain, blood pounding...
Then he felt a little shaky. He felt his way back to bed and got in. He lay back and listened.
Silence. Pure, golden silence.
Watching a film. Like he was really going to believe that. Like she was going to believe that he hadn't heard anything and was playing about with an internal phone at two o'clock in the morning.
One thing he did believe. Whatever reason Ciro De Mendoza was hurting his mum for, he was going to pay for it.
It was strange. How Alex could be so strong and moral one moment. Refuse to kill Leader. And yet, it was taking all his mental effort to stop himself running out of the room, past the guard and smashing Ciro to a pulp.
The viciousness of his thoughts frightened him. Everything about this was wrong. Being in Scorpia. Mum, dad. Ciro. Yassen. Chiara. Leader's body falling to the ground. Orion's grave face. John's fury. Yassen and his phrasebook. Mum clapping, giggling, pretending to the whole world that she was strong, that she was the queen, metal clanking against his teeth, the heat of Chiara's mouth, her fingernails digging in, Leroi assuring him John had an uncanny amount of support, lists of names, and weights in bottles, and flashing lights and thumping music, faces and heat and eyes and smiles, and high heels clip-clopping after him, Sabina and Jack so far away, reaching out for him, fading out, on mute, darkness swarming in, snatching him, easing it's way into his head and gently luring his tired body to sl...
"Perhaps" Mrs Jones remarked "we have something in our favour."
Blunt snorted. It was too late at night and the situation too far gone for wishful conversation.
Mrs Jones turned to him. "Think about it, Alan. Scorpia thinks we're weak. Think they snatched Alex Rider out of our hands."
"They did."
"Yes. But now, think about the situation. We have one of our best agents in the heart of Scorpia. We could never have dreamed of sending someone in undercover. And we had considered sending Alex in."
"Before realising how risky that would be" Blunt growled. "We've lost him now."
"Perhaps not. Alex is different from other children, Alan."
"Not always. Helen Rider and John Rider have him. He's not going to turn on his parents, and it would be ludicrous to assume so."
"I do assume so" Mrs Jones said sharply.
Alan Blunt raised his heavy eyes from his desk and looked at her.
Her hair was out of place, dark rings under her eyes, hand movements weary, the suit a little creased. But determined.
"Alex has made the mistake of trusting Scorpia before. I think deep down he knows which side he's on. And when he sees that his mother is just another Julia Rothman, when he sees her kill people, I think any initial endearment will vanish. His girlfriend and what is almost a sister are over here with us."
"But his parents are with Scorpia. And not just with. Running the show."
"He doesn't know his parents" Mrs Jones stressed. "I think we have an agent in Scorpia. And at the most opportune time. If Scorpia's planning something big, Alex Rider will find out. And I think he will want to stop it."
"He's just a-" Alan Blunt began. The word 'boy' lingered on his lips for a moment. But it didn't emerge.
"She'll be keeping him close" Mrs Jones said. "But if we can find out exactly where he is, we can send him some backup. Get a communication line. Scorpia won't expect us to go after him. They don't know Alex like we do. They would consider it a lost cause on our part."
"Even if Alex were hypothetically on our side" Blunt pointed out "we lied about his parents, we lied about Yassen Gregorovich, he will be angry with us."
Mrs Jones allowed herself a small smile. "When is Alex ever not angry with us?"
Blunt sat up straight in his seat. "Mrs Jones, I believe you actually may have a point."
Yassen was pretending to read a page of Japanese. He was, in fact, listening to Hunter on the phone.
"Chiara?...You did use a secure phone didn't you, baby?..." (laugh) "yes, I know, so patronising...well, we have good news, looks like Helen's quite happy to tell him, perhaps as soon as tomorrow...yes, I know. You can only do your best. See him tomorrow, try and work out what frame of mind he's in, see if you can get him talking. Be gentle, you know? Poor kid's not having such a good time...yeah!" (laugh) "I think he likes you because he was complaining an awful lot, so don't be mean to him or I'll have to give you into a lot of trouble!" (laugh) "yes. Ease it into the conversation...I'm not really sure, to be honest, but you saw him blatantly refuse to shoot the guy earlier, so that doesn't bode well...I know. I did think he would be more trusting, but he's got a bad temper on him at the moment...of course, of course...he'll have to, won't he? We'll win him round, don't worry about it...yes, very cute, oh, and by the way, he has a girlfriend back home so tread carefully"...(laugh) "maybe I do and maybe I don't!" (laugh) -
Yassen listened to Hunter, as he paced the room grinning flirtatiously.
He didn't say anything.
But he was thinking about a lot of things.
A/N: As always, thanks to the people who reviewed, to Techie, to XxXmaximuM-RideRXxX, to Nyxelestia. And to the people who make Pepsi. Now, to those of you who are reading this, but have never ever sent a review...send a review!! I'll give you some good reasons. Firstly, I'll stop moaning. Secondly, I'll try to write faster. Thirdly, by my counting I've gave you 80 pages of reading material so far and it's only fair you give me something back. Fourthly the A/N's will get shorter. And you can review anonymously. (Although if you send a regular review I can reply.) I'm not caring much what you say, say "it's good", say "it's bad", rate it out of ten, tell me what you'd like to happen to Helen and John, point out mistakes... apparently I'm even accepting reviews that talk about cake...
So please review nice, nice people!! If anybody has been reading really carefully, can you let me know if Alex should have asked Helen/John anything he hasn't asked yet? Are there any obvious blanks?
I'll put a note on my bio when I think I know the next chap's going up.