I'M BACK! I know, I'm awful for not updating. I've had this chapter started for REALLY long time, I just had no clue how to end.
I would like to thank the lovely people who reviewed my last chapter: Fanfictionaddict1, Mara jade chase, Albany, MonssterUnderYourBed, Mainn, ReillyScarecrowRocks, and hollyblue2.
You guys are awesome so keep it up! (and yes I admit that last chapter was more than 'kinda' a cliffhanger)
Disclaimer: Wow, what are we, 10 chapters into this story and you still can't figure out that I don't own Alex Rider? Just wow.
Alex POV! (I know it's amazing but please try to contain your excitement, ;))
Alex tore his gaze from Kurst to focus on Jack as he heard Sarah scream.
He was unresponsive, clearly unconscious, and Sarah was becoming frantic, attempting to maneuver her chair closer to his.
Alex had never felt more anger and crushing despair than when he looked at the blood seeping from his son's open bullet wound, making him feel as if he was 15 again and entranced by a burnt car left in the desert.
His entire self was demanding to be near Jack and the rational part of his brain saw the way to make it happen.
Using both feet he extracted the keys from Kurst's pocket. Then, keys dangling between his shoes, he brought his feet up and deposited them in his hand.
He unlocked the cuffs and dropped to the ground, barely making contact before sprinting to Jack.
Sarah was quiet, waiting for his assessment.
"He's alive." He said and she released a bit of breath. "But he's going to need medical attention soon."
That much was obvious from the bullet implanted in his body.
Finding the right key Alex released Jack and Sarah's manacles.
His wife knelt by their unmoving son, gently running her hand through his hair as Alex bound the wound with pieces of cloth ripped from Kurst's shirt.
On the exterior Alex was calm, showing none of the hurricane of inner turmoil raging inside him. Swiftly but gently he extracted Jack from the chair and into his arms.
"Grab his gun." He instructed Sarah, indicating Kurst with his head.
After he'd first told Sarah the secrets of his youth he'd taken her to the shooting range and taught her the basics; just in case. That slightly paranoid endeavor would pay off now.
"We have to find the K-unit."
He knew they were the cause of the earlier explosion, as he was the one who'd provided Ben with the small bomb before they were taken.
'Not checking my pockets' he thought scornfully, 'Scorpia's getting sloppy.'
Motioning for his wife to go first, Alex lightly walked out the door while trying not to jostle Jack.
He restrained himself from glancing down at the weight held in his arms, knowing that if he did he would exit mission mode to enter the panicking parent mindset.
He looked at Sarah who had the gun pointed fiercely in front of her; her glare of determination was so intense Alex was surprised the walls hadn't already burst into flames.
It seemed that most of the guards had been drawn to the explosion but he knew it was only a matter of time before the chaos settled down.
He'd given K-unit directions from what he remembered of the building schematics but things usually didn't go to plan; the luck of the devil worked both ways.
The faster they got out, the better.
Soon he just gave up; he couldn't help it.
He glanced down at Jack, telling himself he had to check on the bullet wound.
Jack's vivid blue eyes were squeezed shut, his tan skin had taken a pale pallor and his breathing could be described as ragged pants.
Alex had to force himself to breathe before whispering to him desperately, "C'mon Jack, you gotta hang on." To his son who made no indication that he'd heard.
They continued their stealthy walk down the long corridor and towards what they could only hope was freedom.
Jack POV
"Hey Jack, are you ready to go?" his dad asked, reaching out to hold his small hand.
"Yes, yes,yes,yes,yes." He chattered excitedly, practically bouncing out of his small, red Velcro sneakers.
His father chuckled, "Did you have candy or what?"
Jack stuck out his chin stubbornly, an adorable fierceness in his expression, "Nuh-uh, mommy says no candy before lunch."
Grinning, his father scooped him from the floor and placed him at his hip. "And we all know that you're a good boy who always listens to mommy, right?" he said with a look that attempted to be stern but only managed amused.
Jack wrapped his petite arms around his dad's neck and looked down bashfully, not yet ready to divulge the fact that he currently had two pixi sticks and a small package of Swedish fish in his pocket; the last remnants of his Halloween stash.
"Mmhmm." His father sounded skeptically.
He reached into Jack's pocket, pulled out a few Swedish fish, plopped them in his mouth and winked. "I won't tell if you won't."
Jack giggled and nodded at his 'silly daddy' as they walked out the door.
A small playground was in easy walking distance of their home, filled with rambunctious neighborhood children, their parents and hyper puppies.
Jack's father put him down and he immediately raced to the monkey bars, pouting cutely when he was unable to reach them.
"Daddy help me!" he called, reaching his arms above his head as though they'd magically stretch the remaining length.
His father, having caught up with him said, "Ok, buddy." And picked him up by his armpits.
Jack whopped with glee at his newfound height, seemingly forgetting to actually take hold of the bar.
His dad laughed, but sounded oddly desperate as he said, "C'mon Jack, you gotta hang on."
Alex POV
"In here." Alex whispered to Sarah after they had traveled a good distance from their torture chamber and tormentor.
Footsteps resounded in the hallway, quickly coming towards them.
Alex and Sarah quietly slipped into a room at the end of the hallway, which Alex knew to be currently occupied.
"What the bloody hell happened to him?" came a gruff question, slightly to loud for Alex's liking.
"Shut up!" he ordered, crouching down and settling Jack in his lap as he did so. He groaned slightly and Alex felt relieved that Jack was at least slightly responsive.
The heavy footsteps slowly passed by the door, obviously on the alert for any sign of trouble.
Alex almost smiled, he was practically trouble personified and in about 30 seconds Kurst would have a very nice wake up call, from which he would probably never wake up.
A deafening blast, similar to its predecessor, shook the building.
Four pairs of eyes turned to stare at him, Sarah's exempt as she was busy staring at the blood beginning to seep through Jacks makeshift wrappings.
The footsteps ran away, towards the second explosion.
Eagle attempted to make his way to the door but Alex stopped him. "Wait." He said, and as he thought more sets of footsteps ran past about 20 seconds later.
He nodded, "Now go."
Eagle cautiously opened the door and stuck his head out, then motioned that it was all clear.
The odd group ghosted their way down the hallway, but to Alex the four men could not have been louder.
'Don't they do stealth training in the SAS?' Alex thought exasperatedly as he listened to Eagle's particularly loud footsteps.
Most of the guards had gone to the scene of the explosion and the group quietly but effectively disabled those who remained, Alex getting to execute a perfect roundhouse kick to the temple of one who collapsed instantly.
He frequently glanced down at Jack, not liking that the blood had escaped the barrier of cloth.
He guided them down the last remaining hallway to the exit, only to be stopped short by a menacing row of guns held by grim faced guards who were most likely not happy about the fact that hed just blown up their leader.
They all froze, examining the situation.
"Well, crap." His wife interjected into the tense silence.
Jack POV
CRACK! Was the sound that interrupted the tranquil summer afternoon.
"Woops." He said as the ball he'd been attempting to get into the goal bounced of the metal goal post.
He sighed and went to retrieve the errant soccer ball before flopping down on his back in the soft grass.
The sun was beating down heavily making him sweat but its warmth was still welcome.
"Hey Jack, are you ready for a rematch? Or is being whooped by your dad not 'in' these days?" called a male voice from behind him.
Jack bolted upright, any previous exhaustion disappearing, "Yeah right old man, you're going down." He replied confidently, leaping to his feet and turning to face his father.
"Wow, old man. That hurts, you know your mother's about my age and I don't think she'd take kindly to being called 'old women'. You could always try and see what happens." His father replied, grinning, brown eyes alight.
Jack gulped audibly, his mother was most definitely not someone to cross, but fired back, "Stop trying to stall your defeat."
His father shook his head, "I don't know, I'm definitely seeing victory in my future." He said. And with that he grabbed the soccer ball from the unsuspecting Jack's hands and punted it into the goal.
"Hey!" Jack cried, "That doesn't count!"
Thus began a fierce battle that somehow evolved into a wrestling match.
Hearing the commotion Sarah raced outside only to slip and fall on her butt, the chicken she'd been preparing for dinner propelling into the dirt.
She looked at her meticulously prepared meal and sighed, "Well, crap."
Well tell me what you think, reviews make my day! I know I didn't tell you where Jack got shot but I figured I'd let you suffer a little while longer:) I'm hoping to update again this week because after that I'm going to Spain for two weeks.
P.S. Here's a lovely little equation : More reviews= faster chapter (but no pressure ;))