Hey guys, chap 10 is here! Wow, I feel really proud, ten chapters, two digit number!!!!! Thanks so much for the suggestions and reviews, they really helped me shape the chapters.
AGAIN I'm so sorry about how long this chapter took, but I just finished exam block! Argghh that was a nightmare, I'm talking chem, bio, maths and English tests!
I got the results back today, and I went sooooooo bad! Honestly, I've never gone this bad in an exam before, and in my deflated, crying, hope my parents don't find out state I decided to post this chappy to make me feel better!
Disclaimer: I don't own Alex Rider
"Goodbye, Alex Rider."
A shot ran through the air.
Alex closed his eyes, not even jumping at the familiar sound of a gun going off. But he did notice vaguely when the feeling of red hot metal didn't burrow itself into his chest, and mustered up all his energy to look up at Walker. He had no time to be shocked, no energy to care or feel disgusted or relieved as Walker clutched his chest, blood spurting through his hands as he fell to the ground and laid still, a pool spreading underneath him.
Alex heard footsteps as someone ran towards him.
"Alex. Can you hear me?" Yassen said, concern in his voice, lifting the spy's head of the ground, and frowning when he felt blood at the back of his head. His shoulder was at an odd angle, blood was coming out of a deep knife wound in his shoulder, and he warily noticed that Alex's hand was clutching his stomach. His hair was matted with dirt and blood, and his clothes were soaked with both. His face was swollen and completely white under all the forming bruises.
Alex heard Yassen speaking, but the words were far away, and seemed to echo through his head. Alex willed himself to pass out, but the peace seemed just out of his grasp.
Yassen ripped the bottom of his shirt off without effort and tied it firmly around the wound on Alex's shoulder, which seemed to be the worst, though it superficial and not very deep. The spy groaned in pain, but didn't open his eyes. The other shoulder was the dislocated one, and Yassen suppressed a sigh, knowing what he had to do, and also knowing that Alex wouldn't like it.
"Alex, I'm going to pop your shoulder back into place." Yassen said, wondering if he could hear him. Yassen sighed, and leant forward. Without pausing he quickly snapped Alex's shoulder back into place, looking on grimly as the boy stiffened and a small groan left his lips quietly, as if he didn't have energy for anything else.
Yassen sighed looking around at the three men on the ground in front of Alex and chuckled humorously. They should have thought twice before attacking Alex Rider. One had blood pooling from his stomach, and he was suddenly glad that Alex had stolen the gun. Alex was lucky to survive. Yassen stared at the now semi-unconscious spy, and smiled slightly. He was truly John Rider's son.
Yassen heard sirens close by. He had anticipated this; MI6 would be listening for anything that could lead them to their golden boy. He could escape with Alex, but decided to leave it to him from now on. He slipped something into Alex's pocket, and the spy tensed, the slightest movement poking at the instincts that had saved his life times before.
"Keep that hidden." Yassen muttered.
The boy said nothing, his eyes closed, but his head gave a small hardly noticeable nod of understanding. Yassen nodded himself and stood up. He went and leaned against the fence that Walker had jumped over, waiting for the agents to come before he left. He watched Alex as the spy lay on the ground, eyes closed and breathing heavily. Suddenly, his eyelids fluttered open, probably sensing someone watching him, because he turned to Yassen.
"Whatss goin'on?" he slurred, before falling silent.
"MI6 are coming." Yassen said simply.
Alex was staring at the sky that had the occasional white cloud circling it. The pain he felt was in his eyes. "Shouldn't we leave then?" Alex said quietly, his voice slightly stronger, but still looking like it was a huge effort to talk.
Yassen surveyed him, concern just showing in his pale blue eyes. "I can't help more than I have with your injuries. It's better this way. But if you still want my help later, then use what I gave you." Yassen didn't elaborate, and Alex was too tired to ask more questions. Instead, he closed his eyes again, taking deep breathes and clutching his stomach a little tighter. Yassen frowned, before spotting a gun on the floor, and noticing a Y on the handle. He picked it up before returning to his place on the fence.
Seconds later Mrs. Jones and other agents came pouring into the alley, and Yassen recognised some as Alex's previous body guards. They pointed their guns at Yassen. There were four of them, not including Mrs. Jones at the front.
Alex heard shouts, followed by footsteps and guns cocking, but he didn't look up, just tried to keep his breathing steady.
"CUB!" Someone gasped, and Alex recognised with some dismay the Scottish accent. He groaned quietly. Not them!
"Shit!" Wolf swore, worry layering his voice as he spied Alex on the ground, unmoving.
"Cub, can you hear me?" Someone said softly…Eagle.
"No, he's not…" Fox gasped.
"No, no I think he's breathing." Mrs Jones said.
There was a moment when no one spoke, no one moved, then suddenly.
"Gregorovich, put your hands on your head and get down on your knees." Mrs. Jones said in a business, emotionless voice, but her eyes flickered in concern to the beaten boy at his feat, and then widened as she looked at the mess of Scorpia agents on the ground, unable to tell whose side everyone was on.
"You heard her Gregorovich." Wolf yelled angrily, aiming his gun at Yassen.
Yassen just stared at them, a slightly amused expression on his face.
"Prepare to fire on my command, don't hit Rider." Mrs Jones yelled.
Alex heard this, and his eye fluttered open. "No, don't shoot him…" Alex trailed off, his body going limper if possible.
"What did he just say?" Snake said incredulously. No one answered, staring at the boy.
"Cub, are you alright?" Fox yelled, trying to get the boy's attention.
"Well that's a stupid question, look at him!" Wolf growled, eying snake angrily.
Alex looked sideways at Yassen, who was staring at him. Alex spoke up. "He's helped me, don't shoot."
Everyone stared at Alex in complete shock. "Cub…" Fox began.
But as he said this, Yassen raised his hands, but not in the way they'd wanted, and plunged himself over the fence with the grace of a ballet dancer, and bounded round a corner just as, despite Alex's request, K Unit spat bullets out after him. One of them grazed his arm, though Yassen didn't even flinch as blood began to run.
Snake, the team medic, stayed behind with Mrs. Jones to care for Alex, whilst the three remaining agents ran after Yassen without hesitation.
But they wouldn't find him…if Yassen Gregorovich didn't want to be found, he was unlikely to be.
Snake ran to Alex's side, stepping over and looking slightly disgusted, the pool of blood that had covered that part of the alley way, Walker laying still and white on the ground. Alex knew he was dead. Mrs Jones took out her radio and started talking into it, but Alex didn't really listen.
"Cub?" Snake said, his voice layered with worry. Alex had been staring at the spot Yassen had been, as if not bothering to look anywhere else, and winced, looking back at Snake, and smiled ever so slightly.
"Hey Snake, Mrs Jones," he said indifferently, like they were meeting for lunch, though his voice was quiet and weak. Snake rolled his eyes at the boy, and started to work over him busily.
"What did they do to you." He murmured as he first inspected his bruising, swollen and bloody face. Alex shrugged, and winced when it tugged at the knife wound in his shoulder. Snake's eyes flashed to it, and he went pale, swearing under his breath.
Without speaking, he reached into his bag and took out a large pare of scissors, but before he could do anything, Alex remembered something, and grabbed his arm. Snake froze, staring at him.
"Snake, I need you to do something for me." Alex whispered, eying Mrs. Jones warily, who was now talking into her cell phone, probably to Blunt.
Snake eyed him curiously, frowning. "What is it Cub?"
With another nervous glance at Mrs. Jones, Alex took a slip of paper from his pocket, looking at it curiously before giving it to Snake. It was a number. Snake looked at it in bewilderment, before Alex folded his hand over it.
"Please, Snake, don't ask any questions, when I'm better, give it back to me, but don't look at the number, and don't tell anyone about it." Alex said. He really didn't want to give it to snake, but he still felt dizzy and knew he was only barely holding on to consciousness, and he also felt a little nauseous too. Maybe he had a concussion…either way; he couldn't chance someone else getting their hands on it why he was unconscious.
Snake stared at him. "Cub, who..."
"Please Snake, just trust me on this."
Snake opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by Mrs. Jones, who began to walk over to them. "Alex, I just filled in Blunt on the situation, he hopes your ok." Mrs Jones said, kneeling next to Snake, looking at Alex in concern.
Alex snorted. "Yea, sure, he's real concerned."
Snake didn't say anything. He was frowning, but with relief Alex saw him pocket the piece of paper. He then lifted a large pair of scissors up, and Alex eyed it warily. Snake grinned, but it was slightly strained.
"Don't worry Cub; I'm not using it on you."
Alex look of relief turned to horror as Snake started cutting off his hoodie and top. He didn't want them to see all his scars; they were bound to raise questions.
"WHAT do you think your doing?" Alex yelped, painfully slapping the scissors away. Snake looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and disapproval.
"What, Cub, have something to hide?" Eagle said, his voice mocking but his face looking worryingly at the bloody mess that was the fifth and youngest member of his team.
Alex watched in dismay as the rest of K Unit came jumping over the fence, not as gracefully as Yassen but just like a solider that had done it many times at training would. Great, Alex thought, an audience.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but the other two units suggested we stay behind in case any of these clowns wake up," Wolf said, eying the fallen Scorpia agents sceptically before turning back and looking warily at Alex. "B and C Unit caught up with us almost straight away, they'd heard the gunshots. We followed some spots of blood here and there, but eventually the trail went blank. The guys like a freaking ghost, but they're searching." Wolf said annoyance in his voice.
Mrs Jones sighed, but nodded.
"So Cub, what happened, tell us everything." Fox said, knelling beside Snake, who began to cut off his hoodie. Alex glared at him.
"That's my favourite hoodie." Alex muttered, turning his glare to the sky.
Snake rolled his eyes. "Trying to get your top off without cutting it wouldn't be a pleasant experience for you Cub, trust me."
Fox looked like he was about to press Alex for information when his breathe caught, to Alex's dismay turning everyone's attention back on him. They stared at his chest, which had a huge knife wound cutting across it from where Walker's goon had slashed him, but there were also fading burns all over his chest from his Scorpia mission, along with quite a few other scars. They were all silent for a moment.
"Guys, I know I'm pretty and all, but you're being a bit obvious about it." Alex began, trying to make light of it all; he was ignored.
"Shit, Cub what have you been doing." Wolf asked, his voice angry. Alex sighed.
"Yea, I knew you had a reputation and all, but how many missions have you been on!" Eagle said incredulously.
Alex shifted uncomfortably, and Mrs Jones looks at him sympathetically.
"Doesn't matter." Alex muttered.
"The heck it does." Wolf growled.
"It's none of your business!" Alex retorted hotly.
"We're a team, we're meant to ask questions!" Wolf yelled back.
"How did you get this one?" Snake asked curiously, pointing to the longest one that was just underneath the new one.
Alex couldn't help but grin slightly. "Some bastard chucked me into a ring with a bull."
They all stared at him like he'd just spoken another language.
"Umm…what?" Eagle said and Alex couldn't help but laugh at look on his face
"Let's just say Yassen gets pretty pissed off when you hold a gun to his head." Alex said.
Eagle's jaw dropped. "He made you fight a bull!" he said in a disgusted and shocked tone.
Mrs Jones stared at Alex in shock. "I knew you threatened to kill him, but you didn't tell me he did that!"
"Wait, again, he made you fight a bull!" Eagle repeated.
"Hold up, I thought he wasn't that crazy about getting you killed an all." Wolf said in confusion.
Alex stared at K Unit. "How did you know that, as far as you're concerned I should be dead," Alex said, eyes narrowing.
K Unit shifted uncomfortably, and Mrs Jones coughed. Alex turned his glare to her. "What did you tell them about me." He hissed.
Mrs Jones sighed. "Alex, I just told them about your history with Yassen; how…he," she cleared her throat, and Alex's eyes narrowed. "How he killed you uncle, and your meetings with him, and his history with your father."
Alex glared at her, "So, basically everything?"
Mrs Jones shifted uncomfortably again, and K Unit looked guilty.
"Alex, it was necessary, they needed to know why Yassen was unlikely to kill you…"
"What else have you been told about me that was necessary? He said, looking at K Unit. "You already knew that I joined Scorpia and that was definitely something I might've wanted to keep to myself, so what else?"
"Cub, relax, it's not like we know what your favourite teddy bear to sleep with is." Fox said, with a smirk. "We just know you've been on a few assignments since Breacon Breacons, but nothing about them, oh, except Point Blanc, Wolfy here told us about that."
Wolf glared at Fox for adding a 'y' to his codename, but Alex's annoyed look at Wolf made him smile sheepishly, and shrug. "We don't keep secrets with in our units." He said simply.
Alex sighed, and decided to play his teenager role for once. "Whatever."
Snake sighed too, bringing out a needle and thread. Alex's eyes widened. "No way."
Snake looked at him, eyebrows raised. "You've been stabbed and shot at but you're afraid of stiches?" Eagle laughed in the background, Wolf smirked whilst Alex turned red.
"No, it's just the whole bloody ridiculous concept of it. You're going to use string to keep me from bleeding to death; I mean, think about it, it's really stupid."
Fox grinned. "I just think you're afraid."
Alex glared at the man, before shrugging. "Fine, Snake, go ahead."
Snake smirked, and brought the needle to the bleeding gash on his stomach. Alex tensed, face twisted in disgust, just as paramedics came pouring into the alley way.
"We're here to take Agent Rider back to MI6 that is correct?" One of them said, whilst Mrs Jones nodded her consent; Alex on the other hand, stared warily.
"Wait, shouldn't you take me to the hospital or something?" he said weakly, imagining Mrs Jones supporting his bloody form into Blunts office were he'd be told that he was to go on another mission in this state. Mrs Jones smiled reassuringly.
"Relax Alex; we have a private medical facility in part of the bank. We don't want you going to a normal hospital whilst you're being hunted by Scorpia… and Yassen.
Why did everyone keep telling him to relax!
However, Alex was surprised that MI6 had a medical facility, yet then again, he knew he shouldn't be, they would have just about anything in the 'bank.' The paramedics saved Alex from Snake's needle, and lifted him onto a gurney. The motion pulled at his injuries and Alex felt the familiar dizziness return to him. Finally, he gratefully passed out, K Unit watching him anxiously in the background.
***
Alex woke up to the sound of Eagle yelping in surprise, followed by a large crash. His eyes flew open, just in time to see Wolf standing with his fists clenched, a murderous look on his face, Eagle trying to get up off the floor with the table he'd crashed into lying on top of him, and Snake and Fox looking on with amused expressions on their faces.
"Wolf, you really do have a bit of a temper, don't you, it was just a joke!" Eagle exclaimed, finally managing to get to his feet. No one had noticed Alex watching them warily.
"It wasn't funny! Say another thing about my sister and her hotness level and you'll be walking with a limp for the rest of you life, you got it!?"
"Good gosh it's like a bloody circus in here." Alex said, deciding to make his conscious state known. Everyone turned in surprise and Eagle smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry Cub, did we wake you?"
Alex rolled his eyes. "What do you think?"
Wolf sighed, and sat back down on a chair near Alex's bed, eying the youngest member of his unit warily. "You right Cub?"
Alex frowned, not actually sure yet. He didn't really feel much at all, and suspected he was on pain killers. "Don't really know, to tell you the truth, I think they've drugged me up."
Snake nodded. "Your injuries wouldn't have been fun to wake up too."
Alex winced. "Yea, guess not. Still, I hate pain killers."
Wolf raised an eyebrow. "Oh, and you use them often."
Alex stiffened slightly, and shrugged, looking away.
"Cub?" Fox said.
Alex sighed. "What?"
"Seriously, all those scars, can't you tell us a bit about you missions?"
"Yes, I could, doesn't mean I will." Alex said.
"Awwww come on Cub, why not?" Eagle said in a whiny voice.
Alex looked away. "No."
"How many missions have you been on, exactly?" Eagle pressed.
Alex sighed. Lack of sleep under anything but either a tranquiliser dart or being so beaten up that he passed out was really getting to him, he just wanted to sleep.
"I guess about five…or six if you're counting the one for Scorpia, but that didn't go very well." Alex frowned, remembering that unfortunate day in Mrs. Jones's flat.
It took Alex a second to realise K Unit were staring at him in shock. "What! You already knew I joined Scorpia."
Wolf shook his head in bewilderment. "We knew you trained with them, but a mission…wait, as an assassin?" Wolf's eyes widened.
Alex looked at Eagle. "You never did tell me who you killed Cub. We were interrupted by an unwanted guest." He said, frowning and touching his swollen and purple bruise subconsciously.
Snake gasped. "Cub you…you assassinated someone?"
They all stared at Alex, who looked away frowning. "Can't we talk about this later, it's complicated…"
"No way, Cub, spill." Wolf growled. Alex rubbed his tired eyes, annoyed. Seeing as how they woke him up, it was the least they could do to shut up and let him get back to it.
"I trained with them because…ugh, never mind, that's an even longer story, but after a while they realised I lacked the, er, what you'd call, I guess, the killer instinct." Alex began, not really sure how to explain, and definitely not liking the way they were staring at him. Alex sighed, trying to think under the haze of pain killers.
"Go on Cub." Fox said, eyeing him intently.
Alex made a sound of frustration. "Just wait a second…well, at the beginning they showed me a tape of my father being killed by MI6." Alex, despite knowing it had been fake, still shuddered at the memory. K Unit looked at him, surprised. They assumed his parents had died, the way Mrs. Jones had talk about Yassen and his father 'once' being friends, and they'd met his guardian, but by MI6, that didn't add up.
"WOW, hold on, MI6 killed your father!" Eagle said incredulously.
"No, I was tricked into thinking that at the time but it was actually Scorpia who killed them." Alex said, his eyes darkening.
"Sorry Cub." Snake muttered sympathetically. Alex shrugged.
"Doesn't matter, the important thing is I saw who ordered the kill, and Scorpia thought that for my first kill, I could get my revenge, and…" Alex frowned, slightly ashamed of himself, "I guess I wanted to, at the time."
K Unit stared at him. "And did you?" Wolf asked, a certain strain in his voice.
Alex looked away from them, eyes dark and dangerous. "No."
K Unit suppressed their sighs of relief. "And that's why they're trying to kill you now? We were just told that Scorpia was after you because you joined and then betrayed them, we didn't actually know what you did." Fox said curiously.
Alex laughed humourlessly. "No, that's another story, about how my parents really died…and I'm definitely not telling it right now. I'm going to sleep." Alex yawned, and turned away from K Unit, feeling their stares.
"Umm, Cub?" Eagle said. Alex groaned, but ignored him.
'Cuuuubbbb?" He sang.
Alex turned eyes murderous. "WHAT!" he hissed.
Eagle grinned, whilst the rest of K Unit shook their heads at him. "Who were you ordered to kill?"
Alex stiffened visibly, before relaxing and shrugged. "Mrs. Jones."
Eagle's jaw dropped, and Alex grinned, turning away and finally getting some sleep.
***
Alex woke again, this time from the door banging open and someone yelling.
"ALEX!!!!!!"
Alex's eyes flew open to be greeted by a mass of red hair blinding him. He yelped.
"JACK! Calm down! Ouch, I'm OK!"
Jack was sobbing, and wouldn't let go.
"Alex, I thought after the phone call that you didn't stand a chance, you sounded so frightened on the phone, and you're never scared, and I knew that was a horrible sign, and then MI6 called hours after they find you, more than bloody happy to leave me worried sick at home! I'm going to kill them, Alex I really am, not just for that, but for…"
"JACK! You're adding to my injuries, really, I'm ok, just a knife wound here and there." He said, grinning at her as she pulled back.
"That would have been funny if it wasn't true Alex." She said, glaring at him, whilst he grinned sheepishly. But no sooner had Jack let go off him had Sabina, who he hadn't realized was there until now, jumped into his arms in an equally bone crushing hug.
"Alex, we've been worried sick!" she whispered. Alex patted her on the back.
"Sab, really, I'm fine."
She drew back and kissed him, before she stepped away with a grin. "I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to do that again."
Some one laughed in the background, and Alex turned red when he realised K Unit were watching, trying to stifle their laughs, even Wolf. Eagle was mouthing something to him, his thumbs up, winking at Alex. Alex averted his gaze, and grinned at Sabina. "That's definitely the best thing that's happened over the last few days." He said with a laugh. Sabina grinned, and took an empty seat next to his bed.
"Considering what's happened to you, that's not really saying much. So what's going to happen now?" She said.
Alex frowned, and turned back to K Unit, who were looking serious again. Alex raised his eyebrows in question.
Wolf sighed. "I hate to ruin the happy moment, but we've talked to Blunt, and apparently Scorpia is not backing down just yet. They refuse to make any sort of agreement with MI6, they think they still have the upper hand. Capturing/Killing their best agents didn't get you back on their good side, in fact their angrier than before."
Alex groaned. "So what are we going to do?"
Jack and Sabina watched apprehensively, the new information not sitting very well with them.
Snake answered his question. "The heads are coming down now to talk with us, apparently they've got a plan." He said this with a bit of anger in his voice, and Alex raised his eyebrows.
"You know what it is, don't you?" Alex said suspiciously.
Snake stared guiltily at him for a moment. "Well, not all of it, but Cub just wait for them to explain, ok?"
Alex frowned but nodded, just as Mrs Jones and Blunt walked into the room. Mrs Jones surveyed the room warily.
"Well, it's certainly crowded in here." She said.
Alex smiled. "Hey, I can't help it if I'm loved."
K Unit snickered, Sabina and Jack laughed, Mrs Jones's mouth twitched slightly and Blunt, of course, remained emotionless.
"Alex, you're still in a lot of danger, we've thought about it, and decided the best course of action." Blunt said, ignoring the uncomfortable looking K Unit. Alex narrowed his eyes at them in question, but then turned back to Blunt with an uneasy feeling.
"I'm not going to like it, am I?" he said glumly.
Blunt shrugged indifferently. "Depends on how you look at it Alex. We've decided London is a bit too dangerous for you now. So we're going to instead send you back to the South of France, where you stayed with Miss Pleasure here before that…unfortunate incident with Mr. Gregorovich."
Sabina's eyes narrowed and Alex looked at Blunt suspiciously. "It's not for a holiday, is it?"
Blunt coughed uncomfortably. "Well, we believe that a drug shipment is going to go down somewhere on the docks in the very town you stayed in. It's just a surveillance mission, K Unit will be accompanying you as back up and also as your body guards against Scorpia, under the event that they find out where you are."
Alex stared at them before replying acidly. "I don't want to go on another bloody mission for you Blunt. I've told you time and time again, I don't want to be a spy. Why is it that you see every situation I get in as an excuse to use me again!" Alex yelled in exasperation. K Unit stared at him. Jack's face was as red as her hair.
"I will not allow you to use Alex again. I'm sick of you blackmailing him! It stops now." Jack yelled at Blunt. Sabina stared acidly at the grey pair.
Blunt was unfazed, and looked at her coldly. "May I remind you, Miss Starbright, that we are the only reason you have not been deported?"
Jack stared at him in disbelief. "How many times are you going to threaten to send me back to America, just so you can get Alex to do what you want!" She yelled at them. K Unit stared at Blunt coldly, realising he was blackmailing Cub.
"Alex is still hurt! He can't do any missions for you right now." Wolf said in a controlled voice, but his hands were balled into fists.
"Like they care about that." Alex muttered angrily.
"Please, Alex, it is for your safety more than anything else, we just thought it would be best because then K Unit can both guard you and be on the field, and it would be just like a holiday, for most of the day you'll simply be relaxing on the beach, because we know the shipment will go down at night. It will help you recover from your injuries, and keep you active as well." Mrs Jones said in her honeyed tones that Alex had learnt to hate.
"Do I have a choice?" Alex snarled at them bitterly.
Blunt nodded. "Good, you'll stay in a flat here in London for a week with K Unit, give you recovery time just in case you do need to be involved in some kind of action, though like I said, its just a surveillance mission, when the shipment comes in, you can call us, and we'll have a team ready to bring them down, you won't be involved in anything." Blunt said emotionlessly.
Alex stared at him. "Me, and K Unit staying in the one flat?" he said in horror.
Blunt ignored this comment. "Alex, I just have one more question before I leave."
"How can I be of service?" Alex said sarcastically.
"The Scorpia agents we found, they did this to you?" Blunt asked. Alex nodded, raising an eyebrow.
"Like I said, Yassen is on my side." Alex said.
Blunt nodded. "And did he fight the agents with you?"
Alex blinked. "Umm, well, I kind of ran away from Yassen when I got the chance, and I guess he followed me. But I was alone for the first part. Scorpia cornered me in an alley, and I knocked two of them out and…shot one of them in the stomach." Alex looked down, and then met Blunt's eyes. "Did he survive?"
Blunt surveyed him curiously for a moment, before answering. "He's in our care, heavily guarded of course, but the doctors aren't sure if he will survive. The other two are in questioning. But the leader, did Yassen shoot him?
Alex nodded. "His name's Walker, I trained with him when I was on Malagosto." He confirmed, and suddenly felt gratitude towards the assassin, he'd saved his life, again.
Blunt look very interested by this, but asked no further questions. "You will be discharged late tomorrow morning, and the rest of your recovery time will be at the flat. Do not exert yourself in any way. After a few weeks we should be able to come to an understanding with Scorpia, and you can come back to London and life will continue as normal." He said, and turned to leave, without, to no ones surprise, the pleasantry of a goodbye.
Normal, right.
Mrs. Jones smiled sympathetically and followed Blunt out. Alex turned to K Unit, who were looking angry at how Alex was being used but also just as horrified of the prospect of living under one roof as Alex was. They didn't mind each other anymore, but they weren't going to push it, and Alex had a feeling that their relationship, especially between him and Wolf, would be tested to the limits over the next week.
"Cub…" Fox begun, glaring at the door the two heads had left. "I think I see why it wasn't hard to think of assassinating them."
Alex shook his head. "It was just Mrs. Jones."
Fox grinned. "They both look the same to me."
Alex smiled half heartedly back, before casting his eyes glumly too the ceiling.
"Alex…" Jack said softly. "I'm so sorry; this is all my fault…"
Alex's eyes snapped to hers. "Don't you dare blame yourself."
Jack just looked back glumly. "Alex…I don't think I can stand you going on another mission, and they can only make you because of me, maybe…maybe I should just go back to America."
Alex's eyes widened. "NO! Jack, please don't go, you're the only family I have left!" Alex said desperately. Jack looked at him sadly. Suddenly, something occurred to Alex. "Un…unless you, you know, want to go…"
Jack shook her head, holding Alex's hand. "No Alex, I love you, and I love London, but I hate the way they blackmail you into risking your life over and over again, its wrong!"
Sabina was glaring at the wall, having been silent for a while now.
"Sab…? Are you ok." Alex said softly, taking her hand. She turned to him sadly.
"Alex…I, I need to leave…I'll come back…I just, can't be here." She said, standing up.
Alex blinked up at her, keeping the hurt out of his eyes. She squeezed his hand, and let go. Alex stared at his empty hand for a moment before looking up just in time to see the door closing and a flash of long brown hair disappearing behind it. Everyone was silent for a moment, looking at Alex with a mixture of sadness, sympathy or anger at what was happening to him. Alex let his face go blank. "I'm going to get some rest." He said, turning in his loose white shirt and what felt like cotton pyjama pants and let his worries die away with sleep.
***
Alex woke later, though he had no idea what time it was. Only Snake was in the room, arms crossed, surveying Alex blankly as he sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes.
"Where is everyone?" Alex asked curiously.
"Gone to get food. Cub, do you want to tell me what's going on with this?" he said, taking out the piece of paper from his pocket. Alex realised that his bloodied clothes were gone, and he was now in loose pyjama's, much to his slight embarrassment. Still, he was glad he had given the number to Snake, it would either be in MI6s hands or going through the wash by now.
Alex stiffly got out of bed, but still felt no pain. Probably still under pain killers. He walked up to Snake, and took it. Snake frowned at his now empty hand and glared at Alex.
Alex grinned back. "Thanks for that Snake, you didn't tell anyone did you?"
Snake sighed. "We don't keep secrets within our Units, but no, Cub, I didn't. If I'm going to keep a secret for you then tell me what it is."
Alex just smiled, shaking his head. "It's not important, just let it go."
Snake stood up, towering over Alex. Alex took a step back, frowning and lying back down on his bed. Snake followed him, standing just short of his bed. "Cub…"
Just then, Mrs Jones walked into the room, and looked surprised. "Alex, you're awake."
Alex rolled his eyes. "No, I'm still asleep."
Snake smirked, despite his annoyance. Mrs Jones took no notice.
"How are you Alex?"
Alex shrugged. "Still doped up, don't really know. What time is it?"
"Oh, it's around 8.00am in the morning, you went to sleep at around 3.00pm yesterday, so you should be rehabilitated."
Alex nodded, but truthfully he was still really tired.
Mrs Jones shifted uncomfortably. "Listen Alex, I'm very sorry about what happened to you, everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong. And I'm sorry we're sending you on another mission when you're still hurt, but in Blunts eyes it's the perfect opportunity." She said apologetically.
Alex shrugged, eyes cold. "I'm used to you people blackmailing me."
Mrs Jones cleared her throat awkwardly, and Alex, who wouldn't have minded watching her squirm, needed to ask her something.
"Ummm, Mrs. Jones, I'm glad you're here, my best friend Tom is probably really worried about me, I need to call him and fill him in about what's happening. Do you have a secure phone I could borrow to ring him?
She stared at Alex in shock. "You told another person about us!?"
Alex realised his mistake, and it was too late to back track so he just shrugged. "Just between you and me Mrs. Jones."
Mrs. Jones's eyes narrowed, but she let it go, for now. "Yes Alex, you can use my phone, but do not tell him where you are, just in case Scorpia is listening in, though that's near impossible with this phone." She said, handing him a plain, black one that had no brand on it…figures.
"Thanks." Alex murmured. Mrs Jones left to give him some privacy.
Alex turned to Snake, who was glaring at him suspiciously.
"That's not to call your friend is it?"
Alex frowned. "What makes you say that? Do you mind stepping out for minute while I'm on the phone?"
Snake's eyes narrowed. "I hope you know what you're doing Cub. Whoever this is, their on our side?"
Alex smiled innocently. "He's just a friend I need to tell I'm ok."
Snake rubbed his eyes tiredly, but left the room, muttering under his breath.
Alex dialled a number. The phone rang twice, before a cool, calm voice answered on the other side of the line.
"Yes?"
Alex smiled to himself. "Still up for bodyguard duty?"
YAY! Chapter ten is done! I'll get the next one out ASAP (and after I receive a healthy amount of reviews!) Hoped you liked this chappy! Wow, it was a long one!
P.S Sorry if there are grammer mistakes, but trying to read through it over and over was really straining my eyes! so i decided just to post it, cause i've already gone through it once or twice.
R&R! Xoxo
Bookworm Rider