Chap 11 is here! I am sooooooooooo sorry about how long this chapter has taken, but Insert Excuse Here. See, perfect reasonable!
But still, I'm really sorry!
Thankyou to all my reviewers, you've been amazing, hope your still there!
Disclaimer: I don't own Alex Rider
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?"
****
Snake left the room, thoroughly annoyed, closing the door behind him. He was half way down the corridor, planning to meet up with the rest of K Unit, before he ran back and decided to play spy, listening at the door, though he couldn't here much at all.
"…Looked like it stung." Snake heard Alex say. There was a pause, before he heard him speak again.
"So, what do you say?"
Snake's eyes widened. Who was he talking to? It couldn't be Yassen Gregorovich, he wouldn't be that stupid. Surely a spy's instincts were better than that? He listened closer, hoping for a clue. He felt guilty, yes, but if something happened to Cub and it had something to do with this person, it would be his fault, not telling anyone about it.
"MI6…advantage." Was all Snake caught; there was another moment of silence whilst Alex listened to what the person was saying, but Snake now doubted it was his friend Tom.
"…on a mission…not sure who's listening…take control of my life, either way I'm not going."
Everything was so muffled through the thick wooden door, but Snake got the gist of what Alex had just said. Not only was he telling someone about their mission, but he wasn't even planning on going. Snake had no idea what to do, he could tell K Unit, but he didn't want to betray Cub, even though, in a way, he was betraying them. No…that was too harsh, he just didn't want to go on any more missions, and Snake could see why; it was destroying him, inside and out. Snake realised he'd stoped listening and quickly leaned against the door.
"You said…need to know about my d…"
Snake hardly heard any of that, and listened with his breath held.
"Next Tuesday...Snake knows…Hyde Park..."
Now Snake was really worried. What could he do? Cub was talking about Hyde Park, and the day they were supposed to leave, Tuesday, a week from now, but nothing connected, was Alex going to meet this person? The more Snake heard, the more he felt it was Yassen Gregorovich on the other side of the line. He didn't want to believe it though, Alex running off to the other side, which'd recently kidnapped him…and saved his life. Snake rubbed his eyes, not wanting to listen to more, but none the less pressed his ear to the door once more.
"Yea, Goodbye to you to."
It seemed the call was over. He heard the sound of bed springs, and assumed Cub had gone back to bed. His stomach rumbled, but he was suddenly not that hungry. He stood up out of his crouch, and made his way to the canteen.
What was he going to do?
***
K Unit and Jack watched the peaceful, sleeping Alex, and Eagle smiled. "He's so cute when he's asleep." He whispered, and everyone turned to stare at him. He looked back defensively. "What! You were all thinking it."
Eagle took another bite of his toast, which he'd gotten form MI6's canteen; surprisingly it had a pretty good breakfast selection. The rest of K Unit were wolfing down their breakfast too, though Jack had just ordered a coffee, saying she wasn't hungry. They'd bought some food back for Snake, who they'd met halfway back to the room. They were surprised to seem him looking both annoyed and distressed about something, but he wouldn't say what. They'd come back to find Cub fast asleep.
Wolf shook his head, right as Fox said. "Actually, I have to agree with Eagle." He chuckled, raising his eyebrows at the rest of the unit.
Wolf sighed, turning to the red head, who was mediating between looking at K Unit with an amused expression and looking at Alex with a soft look on her face.
"Umm, Jack, right?" Wolf began awkwardly. She turned to him, looking faintly surprised, but smiled.
"Yes?" she said.
"Look, can you please explain what's going on? They came in after Alex had nearly died in Scorpia's hands and blackmailed him into a mission that starts in a week! When one of us is hurt that badly in the field, at the very least we get two weeks, sometimes even more than a month with strict bed rest to get through it. The way their treating Cub…it's unthinkable in the SAS." Wolf talked quickly, appalled by the whole situation.
Jack smiled bitterly. "Welcome to MI6."
Snake, who was frowning deeply, shook his head. "Wolf is right! They pay him at least?"
Jack laughed at this. "Pay him? When he called for their help when he was about to be dissected alive, they didn't even come, let alone pay him!" she shook her head.
"You want to know how it goes. MI6 call him, they give him a mission, he refuses, they blackmail him, he goes, he's tortured, beaten, shot at and kidnapped, then he saves the world after escaping, and then he goes back to school, and trust me, it's with no increase to his piggybank, and waits for it to happen all over again."
K Unit stared at her, horrified. Jack sighed, having finally let out some of her pent up emotions.
Fox was the first to recover. "Jack, I'm so sorry, can we do anything for him? It must be illegal, what they're making him do." He said quietly.
Jack took a deep breathe. "I don't know what you could do to help Alex, but if you come up with anything, let me know." She said, looking painfully at Alex, who was breathing peacefully.
"You know, I'm kinda surprised, usually after a mission of some sort his sleeps are…" She trailed off, blinking, and turned away, drinking her coffee.
"His sleeps are what?" pressed Fox, the rest of K Unit looking at her intently.
She shifted uncomfortably, wishing she'd kept her mouth shut for Alex's sake, and shrugged. "Just thinking aloud, don't worry."
They frowned, but said nothing, not wanting to butt in to much, though it was one of their greatest talents when it came to Cub.
Jack frowned. "What time is it?"
Snake looked at his watch. "Ummm, 9:30am, we'll be leaving in an hour or two, maybe we should wake Cub up…"
"No, he needs rest." Said Jack firmly. The rest of K Unit didn't want to argue with this particular housekeeper. There was an awkward silence that settled on the five adults. Wolf cleared his throat, and turned to Jack, smirking slightly.
"So, do you have a boyfriend?" he asked.
Jack turned bright red, but didn't need to answer, as just then Alex yelled, balling his hands up into fists.
Jack closed her eyes. "No." she said with a sigh.
"Just shoot me then!" he growled angrily.
"Alex, wake up." Jack said loudly, shaking him. Alex's eyes snapped open and he thrust out with his right foot, hitting Jack in the stomach. She gasped as she was flung to the floor, and K Unit rushed over to help her. Alex looked around confusedly for a moment, before comprehension dawned on his face and he rushed out of bed, wincing slightly as he helped Jack to her feet.
"Jack…I'm sorry, I didn't…" Alex began but Jack just smiled.
"It's ok Alex, you only winded me, besides you can't help your reflexes, I'm fine." She soothed him, while he stared at her stomach guiltily.
"You ok Cub?" Wolf asked gruffly, looking a bit shocked. Alex seemed to just notice K Unit were there, surveying the scene anxiously. Alex frowned, straightening up.
"I'm not the one you should be asking. If you're ok Jack I'm going to take a shower before we leave." Alex said emotionlessly, walking to the bathroom grabbing a spare change of clothes as he went. Jack nodded, noticing he was covered in sweat, and probably could really use a shower either way.
Snake watched him go, his face white. After what Jack had told them, and witnessing Alex's nightmare, he had to admit, he was horrified. MI6 were destroying him, there was no question about it now. Snake glanced at his team mates, who were looking equally shaken; Wolf looked like he was about to explode, hands balled into fists.
Snake made his decision.
He was going to do absolutely nothing about Cub's phone call.
***
Well, at least it's not a bad apartment.
This was the only good thing Alex could think of as he and the other four members of K Unit walked in an awkward silence, inspecting the small (for security reasons) but cosy flat. Besides, it had a bedroom for each of them, a kitchen and two bathrooms, though it was still pretty cramped, everything squished together.
After Alex had showered and eaten, he had said goodbye (for now) to Jack, and asked her to tell Sabina (who'd never come back much to Alex's dismay) that he was sorry and would miss her. Jack would be staying back at the house with two guards, just in case they tried to get to Alex through her, and two were stationed, though Alex wasn't sure it was to her knowing, outside Sabina's house as well for the same reason.
Mrs. Jones had also seen him to get her phone back, and glanced suspiciously at Alex when she found all recent history erased. Alex had just shrugged. "Can't be too careful, don't want anyone to know who my friends are."
Mrs. Jones had eyed him suspiciously before giving him a brand new phone. "This way you'll be able to contact us, speed dial 1 will put you through to blunt, 2 to me and 3 to Smithers. You can also make normal calls, and if you press 7 four times it will set out a tracking signal to us and we'll know you're in trouble. Be careful." She had said, before leaving him staring at the phone thoughtfully.
Now Alex put the phone in his pocket, looking at the apartment he had to share with the four grumpy K Unit members. There were three rooms, two people staying in each one except for one person who would be alone. Everyone decided to Alex's horror that because he was still hurt he should have someone there to watch over him just in case, and as Unit leader K Unit had graciously assigned Wolf to the job.
"No way," Alex said. "We don't get along."
"Ouch, Cub, that hurts." Wolf said in an 'injured' tone, though he looked equally horrified at sharing a room with not only a teenager but Cub.
"Well, none of us will really get along sharing a room anyway, so I think we should all just be happy." Eagle said, grinning.
"Shut your face, Eagle, it's only because you got to be by yourself." Fox said in an acidic tone that didn't belong to the usually calm persona.
Snake laughed. "Bitter, are we Fox?"
"Yea, seeing as how I'm sharing a room with you."
"Hey! Would you rather share it with Eagle and his non-stop chattering? That's why we agreed to let him have it to himself in the first place!"
"Hey!"
"Oh, please will you all just shut up!" Alex groaned, rubbing his eyes tiredly.
"Couldn't agree more." Wolf growled, grabbing his bag and making his way over to one of the rooms.
"Aww, see, you two will get on fine." Eagle said, almost skipping to his very own room.
Alex suppressed a sigh and followed Wolf with his own bag whilst Snake and Fox made their way to their room. Alex surveyed his room glumly. There were two single beds, a desk and a closet. The only other parts of the apartment were the kitchen/living room and a bathroom. At least they had a TV in the kitchen. Alex dumped his stuff on the floor, not bothering to unpack the small suitcase and took out his homework, now that his was missing school again. He walked to the kitchen, leaving Wolf to do what he wanted and sat at the kitchen table, trying to get a start on algebra. It was about 4:00pm, and he wondered absently what they were going to eat for dinner. But still his mind wondered to his phone call with Yassen.
Flashback
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?"
There was a pause on the other side of the line before Yassen answered.
"Alex. How are you?"
'Dunno, MI6 seem keen to turn me into a drug addict. Can't feel a thing."
"I see."
There was another pause, before Alex decided he'd better get the conversation going.
"Sorry about the whole getting shot thing, looked like it stung."
The Yassen laughed quietly. "Believe me Alex, I've had much worse."
"So, what do you say?"
The man knew what he was talking about. "Are the SAS not sufficient anymore?"
Alex sighed. "They can protect me just fine, but MI6 have decided to twist it to their advantage."
Yassen didn't sound surprised. "Another assignment?"
Alex grimaced. "Their sending me on a mission with the SAS, I'm not sure whose listening so I won't say where but I'm sick of this. I think it's about time I take control of my life, either way I'm not going."
There was another pause. "When are you meant to leave?"
"In a week; I'll be staying in a unit with the SAS until then, then we're flying out. You said you'd train me, and I need to know about my dad."
"Where and when do you want to meet me then?"
Alex was surprised; it seemed he'd already thought it through. "Umm, well it's Wednesday, and we're leaving next Tuesday, so how bought on the Monday. Snake knows about the number, someone had to hold it for me and he's really suspicious about it, so I don't want to make him more nervous."
Yassen seemed to be thinking it through. "Alright, where?"
"Umm, how 'bout Hyde Park, 7:00pm Monday night?"
"How secure is this line?"
Alex had thought about this. "It's Mrs. Jones's phone, so pretty secure to outsiders, but to MI6…"
Yassen sighed. "That complicates matters. I'm afraid we'll have to take our chances."
The phone went dead.
"Yea, goodbye to you to." Alex sighed, before hanging up the phone himself.
***
End of Flashback
Alex was brought out of his daydream when someone sat beside him. Snake smiled slightly at him, but his eyes were troubled.
"Alex, I thought maybe we should talk about what happened at the hospital." Snake began uncertainly.
Alex frowned reluctantly. "What?'
"I'm not talking about the phone number at the moment, but believe me I'm not finished with that…but, the nightmare, Jack said it happens a lot…
Alex's eyes narrowed. "Oh she did, did she?"
"I just wondered if we could help, if you wanted to talk about what happened with those Scorpia members…" Snake began.
"Well I don't. I'm fine."
Alex turned purposely back to his homework, frowning at the maths problem in 'concentration' hoping he would leave.
No such luck.
"Cub…" Snake began, looking uncomfortable. "I really think…"
"Look, you caught me, I had a nightmare, surprise - surprise, just let it go." Alex snapped.
Snake frowned. "You're part of our unit, and you're just a kid. I'm only trying to help."
Alex sighed, not looking at him. "I don't need anyone's help."
Snake was silent for a moment before he left to sit on the couch, turning on the TV and watching a football game. The rest of K Unit eventually joined him, uncharacteristically not bothering Alex as he did his homework. Alex sighed, he had a feeling Snake was allocated the job of talking to him, and would question Snake about it later.
A few hours later, Alex finally finished his homework (with no more unwanted interruptions) when K Unit trudged into the kitchen.
"Cuuuuubbbb?" Eagle sang when Alex didn't look up from the book he was reading.
Alex sighed, putting the book down whilst the rest of K Unit were sat down at the table, looking like they were planning some kind of ferocious battle. Alex raised his eyebrows crossing his arms across his chest.
"Why so serious?" Alex smirked, quoting the Joker from that Dark Knight movie. Fox rolled his eyes, but was frowning in concentration.
"We're trying to decide what to have for dinner." He said, raising an eyebrow.
Alex laughed. "Is that it, I thought you were about to tell me Scorpia had found us and that we had to plan battle strategies!" Alex laughed again, shaking his head.
K Unit frowned at him. "Well, have you got any ideas?" Snake said.
Now Alex frowned, before smirking. "Anything but pizza." He laughed at his own joke, before realising that K Unit were look at him curiously.
"What's wrong with pizza?" Wolf said, eye's narrowing.
Alex quickly backtracked. "Umm, nothing, you know we could make something…"
K Unit glared at him. "No way Alex, I like a good joke, do tell." Eagle pressed, raising his eyebrows.
Alex sighed, it was his own fault for not keeping his mouth shot. "Well, the last time I saw pizza it was in the hand of an assassin, who was using it as a ploy to get to his target on one of the floors of an apartment block. Oh, and the assassin was me." Alex said lightly, with a small shrug. He winced as it hurt his stitched up shoulder, and was glad he was allowed to take pain killers. Yet he forgot the pain when he saw the look on K Unit's face.
"So that's how you got to Mrs Jones! I was wondering, you know, she must have had good security." Snake said in wonder, almost looking proud of Cub.
Fox shook his head. "You really are a character, you know that Cub."
Alex grinned, hiding his relief that they weren't totally freaked out by his ex-assassin status.
Wolf just shook his head. "I know one thing, considering you now have Scorpia after you, the situation is reversed. An assassin is looking for you, and you are in a flat. No pizza, or takeout at all for the matter."
Everyone groaned. "Who's going to cook then?" Snake said, raising an eyebrow.
"Anything but Italian food, it seems it comes with a bit of bad luck." Eagle said (whose bruise still looked pretty nasty) raising an eyebrow at Alex, who grinned back.
"What do you mean?" Fox said, confused.
Alex explained. "Well, first the pizza, and the night I was kidnapped me and Eagle were having Spaghetti Bolognaise." Alex laughed, though the rest of K Unit didn't find it funny.
"Well, what should we cook then?" Wolf said, frowning in concentration.
Everyone was silent as they thought, before Alex said; "Chicken Italian, anyone?"
K Unit groaned at his sense of humour, probably disappointed that he didn't actually have a suggestion.
"How bought chicken curry?" Fox suggested, and no one having any objections, they all stood up and walked to the kitchen.
"Err, who's going to cook?" Snake said uncertainly, and for some reason everyone turned to Alex.
Alex raised his eyebrows at them. "Don't look at me! Maybe it isn't Italian food, maybe it's anything that I come into contact with." Alex said desperately, as he didn't exactly enjoy cooking.
Eagle sighed. "From what I got to taste before an assassin knocked me out, your cooking is good Cub, come on, do you really want to eat anything made by us?" Eagle reasoned, gesturing to his team mates.
Alex shook his head. They must be the only people in the world to ever have a conversation like this. He sighed in defeat, and was glad that MI6 had stocked the place up with food. As an answer, he started defrosting some chicken breast and took carrot and potato out of the fridge. K Unit grinned, and started making their way to the couch to watch TV when Alex added casually.
"You know, I am a former assassin, are you sure you guys can trust me to not put any…extra ingredients into your dinners." He turned towards K Unit, who to his satisfaction were looking slightly nervous.
"I mean, after the way you guys treated me at SAS training, there's motive, isn't there?" He raised an eyebrow at them. They now looked more than nervous, and Alex couldn't help it. He burst out laughing, clutching the counter for support, while K Unit glared at him angrily. That just made him laugh more and he completely doubled over in laughter. Ugh, maybe he should lay off the pain killers for a while.
After a moment though he began to feel dizzy, and stopped laughing. He felt like he was about to throw up. Going pale, Alex collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach, blood soaking through his shirt. K Unit exclaimed in surprise, running to the young spy.
"What's happening?!" Wolf yelled, scanning the area for snipers who may have shot him. Snake ripped his shirt open with a kitchen knife and caught his breath.
"His stiches have opened up, his stomach knife wound is bleeding, Eagle, get my first aid kit from my room; Hurry!"
Without a word Eagle ran out of the room only to return a moment later cradling a kit in his hand. Snake took it and got out a needle and thread, and quickly started stitching his stomach back up. "Wolf, go get him a new set of clothes."
Wolf turned and went towards Alex's room, whilst Eagle knelt cautiously at Cub's side.
"Don't worry Eagle, I think it was just blood loss, and shock too of course. I think the last couple of days are finally catching up with him; he was kidnapped, stabbed, beaten and almost died, and shown no sympathy from his employers. I'm actually surprised nothing has happened before now. He'll come to in about an hour."
Eagle nodded, but Fox frowned. "What can I do?"
Snake glanced sideways at him, before grinning.
"You can get a start on dinner."
***
Alex was first aware of people talking, and the cluttering of plates, before he felt the stabbing pain in his stomach, but suppressed a groan, trying to figure out what the bloody heck had happened.
"Fox! You have a big family, didn't they ever teach you how to cook!" Alex heard Eagle groan.
"Yea, I mean, isn't curry meant to be a little more…I don't know, NOT clumped together in a mass of rice and chicken?"
"Hey! I didn't ask to make dinner, I was appointed the job, it's no ones fault but yours!"
"I had to treat Cub!"
"Yea, that took about ten minutes, and what did you do then!"
"Monitor him!"
"Right."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, shut up you two!" Wolf growled at Snake and Fox.
"I concur." Alex said, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Everyone fell silent, and Alex looked up too see them huddled around a large pot in the kitchen. Alex noted with slight annoyance that he was on the floor…at least they'd given him a pillow.
"Cub, you right?" Snake said, kneeling down beside the boy whilst the rest huddled somewhere close by.
"Oh brilliant," Alex said sarcastically, clutching his throbbing stomach, "What happened to me?"
Snake sighed. "Your stitches in your stomach opened up when you were laughing, you're meant to be taking an easy, not threatening to poison us." Snake said, grinning at Alex, who did not return it. Without another word to the concerned unit, he walked over to the pot and grimaced.
"Fox, really!"
"SORRY!"
Alex sighed. What was meant to be a curry was a clumpy, but at least cooked, mess in the pan, but there was no moisture left in it.
"It's ok Snake, I think I can save it." Alex said, grinning at the confused K Unit, who hadn't thought of any way to salvage the operation. They watched as Alex opened the fridge and took out cream and water, adding a bit of both to the mix before searching through the cupboard and finding what he wanted, added coconut milk. He stirred the curry around, and put the heat up until it boiled, turned it off and put the now appetizing mixture into five bowls. He took his own and without a word to the dumbstruck K Unit, walked over to couch and watched some team score another goal. A few minuets later K Unit joined with there bowls, looking delighted.
"Cub, this is delicious!!!!!" Eagle yelped, almost inhaling his food, a rather disgusting sight. The rest of K Unit grunted in agreement.
Alex shrugged, just glad they were too busy eating to play 'twenty questions' with him again.
"So, Cub, tell us about your missions." Eagle said, his mouth full. Alex suppressed a groan. Who said men can't multitask?
"Yea, Cub, what about your very first mission, that must've been interesting." Fox said, though he bothered to swallow before talking.
Alex sighed; glad he'd finished his dinner so quickly. "I'm going to bed, I'm actually pretty tired." He said quickly, rushing into the kitchen.
"Cub! You won't be able to avoid our questions forever!" Eagle yelled, followed by an evil 'bwwhahahahaha!"
Alex rolled his eyes, washing his plate before retreating to his room and shutting the door behind him.
______
Snake watched him leave, before standing up and following him out, K Unit engrossed in the game.
"Snake?"
Maybe not. Snake turned around to Wolf, who had a strange expression on his face. "Are you…um…you know, ok?" He said, seeming to struggle with the words.
Snake forced a smile, though really, his decision to leave Cub alone had wavered…he wanted to trust Alex to know what he was doing, but really, who knows what would happen to him if he left the apartment, would Scorpia find him? He decided he needed to talk to Cub about it.
"I'm fine."
Snake turned to leave, but Wolf wouldn't let it go that quickly. "You've looked troubled all day, is there something you need to tell us?" Wolf asked uncertainly, Eagle and Fox watching the conversation curiously. They too had noticed Snake's strange mood.
Snake stared at them for a moment…could he tell them, then they could all discuss it, figure out what to do. But he'd promised Cub, he couldn't, not without at least talking to him first.
"I'm fine." Snake said again, doing a 'cub' and more or less ignoring the questions.
"Well, fine, so did you talk to Cub?" Fox asked curiously.
"He doesn't want to talk up what happened at the hospital, and we'd better not push it, I don't think he will." Snake explained.
Wolf sighed. "Didn't think he would."
Snake nodded and escaped the kitchen, dumping his half eaten food into the sink before making his way over to Cub's room. He stopped at the door uncertainly, before knocking. He heard Alex sigh, before the inevitable, "Yea, come in."
Snake walked into the room to find Alex lying on his bed with a book in his hand, though he didn't seem to have much interest in it, as he threw it on the ground with a slight look of relief, but also looking reluctant as Snake approached the bed.
"Snake, what do you want?" The words were not unfriendly, just tired, as if he didn't want to have the following conversation.
Snake sighed, sitting down on the end of the bed, surveying the bruised and beaten boy grimly. "Cub…I just…want to know that you know what you're doing."
Alex looked taken aback by the question, before he blinked and his lips twitched slightly. "Yea, I do."
Snake sighed again, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Then why are you going to Hyde Park?"
Alex froze, gaping at Snake, who looked back blankly. "I don't know what you're talking about Snake, a picnic is not in my current agenda." Alex said smoothly. Snake had to admit, he was a good liar, of course, Cub had to be.
Snake shook his head. "I heard you talking on the phone, I didn't hear much but you said Hyde Park, and that you weren't going on the mission."
Cub stared at Snake, his face white, before his eyes flashed in anger. "I don't know who you think you are, eavesdropping on my conversations, but it's none of your business what I'm doing, and anyway, you've got it all wrong…why wouldn't I be going on the mission, I wasn't given much choice!" Alex snarled, standing up off the bed, his hands balled into fists. Snake winced, standing up too, facing the angry teenager.
"Alex, listen to me, I'm sorry I listened in, ok, but it's a bit hypocritical, don't you think, seeing as you do it for a living." Snake said to the spy. "I've been lying for you Alex, and I deserve to know why!" Snake found himself yelling back.
Alex stared at Snake, his shoulders slumping, surveying the usually calm member of K Unit with a slightly shocked expression. "Snake…I'm….I didn't mean to…"
But he didn't get time to finish his sentence, as the rest of K Unit walked into the room.
"What's with all the yelling! And what do you mean Snake, you've been lying?" Wolf said, raising his eyebrows at Snake coldly. Snake winced, and looked at Alex, whose face had gone pale.
Wolf turned his icy glare to Alex.
"Cub, I think you have some explaining to do."
***
Alan Blunt watched the tape again, his face expressionless, whilst his deputy watched it with a slight crease on her forehead.
"What does this mean Alan?" She said after he'd watched it for a third time, as if he could discover more from watching it again. The two head of MI6 watched as Alex Rider talked on the phone, a video taken from the camera in his hospital room, still in his pyjamas. Much to their disappointment, the video had no sound, and Alex had his back turned away from the camera, so they couldn't get anyone in to read his lips.
Blunt paused the tape. "It doesn't mean anything, we don't know who he was talking to, but I doubt what he told you was true, that wasn't his friend…Tom, was it, though we can send people to the boy to find out for sure. But his body language suggested it wasn't the most comfortable conversation."
"Do you think it was…"
"Yassen Gregorovich is problematic, and I won't rule out the possibility. But I think I know someone who can tell us for sure." Blunt switched CDs and put a new one in, and Mrs Jones raised her eyebrows in surprise when she saw the K Unit member Snake listening at the door to Alex's room.
"It seems he's being picking up tips from Alex." She said, watching as the man's face widened in shock and he jerked his head away from the door, before putting his ear back to it again.
"Yes, he will be able to tell us Alex has been doing. I think we should pay Alex a visit at his hideout before they leave on the mission." Blunt said, his voice suggesting at least a little satisfaction.
"Alan, I stand by what I said, you shouldn't use Alex right now, if ever, he's been through enough."
"It's the perfect opportunity, we're hiding him away from Scorpia, we're simply using the situation to our advantage."
"No, you're using Alex to our advantage."
***
Yassen walked steadily through the lobby, scanning the area thoroughly before making his way to the stairs. The elevator wasn't safe with both MI6 and Scorpia after him. He shook his head; what a mess, but nothing unusual.
"Mr. San, so good to see you again…oh, are you alright?" The receptionists eye's widened as she saw his bloody shirt.
"Yes, I'm fine, I just got mugged, that's all." Yassen made up the excuse quickly without stopping.
"Wait!" The receptionist ran from behind the desk and over to Yassen, inspecting the arm (but from a metre away, she got the feeling this was a man who liked his personal space) "Shouldn't we call the police?" she said anxiously.
Yassen couldn't help but remember what Alex had said as he impatiently listened to the woman's concerned rambling and smiled ever so slightly. "I think she likes you."
"That won't be necessary. I've dealt with them." He said, making the woman looking quite startled.
"They're safely behind bars." Yassen lied, as she seemed to need further explanation.
"Oh."
Yassen stepped around her and cautiously inspected the staircase before making his way up leaving the receptionist behind. He'd have to be extra careful from then on, but then again, he was always careful. He definitely wouldn't stay in his flat long, he would just patch himself up, grab the essentials (aka. His guns, though he'd taken the one Alex had stolen off the floor of the alley, he should never go with just one). Still, he couldn't help but think that getting involved with Alex again wasn't a good idea. He hadn't exactly been much help, and really he was finding it hard to control a four-teen year old spy with something other than a gun. He was good at his job, but to say the least it was a good thing he hadn't had children.
And their meeting place was problematic, Monday night in Hyde Park. A phone was too insecure, even if Scorpia hadn't been able to tap into the deputy of MI6's phone, Mr. Blunt could have been listening, and what about camera's? Yassen shook his head, it was too risky; he would have to pay Alex a little visit…again.
Not really a cliffy, sorry about how long this has taken, I'll have the next one out soon, Yassen will be seen more in the next chapter, what will he be doing??? (evil grin)
I've got so many great ideas for this story, I've planned heaps of it out, and even have a sequel in mind. Thankyou to everyone who's still following the story, any suggestions would still be great.
Thank you SO much for all previous reviews!
Merciámes critiques Français!
Bookworm Rider xx