Alex took a deep, shuddering breath as Wolf wrapped the ace bandage around his arm. "It hurts," he said, hoping his voice didn't sound like he was whimpering. He also hoped that father didn't hear him. The last time Alex had complained… he pushed that thought to the back of his head.
"I'm sorry," Wolf responded, even though Alex sensed that he wasn't really sorry. Alex wasn't bothered, though; he knew that Wolf had to bandage his arm or it would quickly get infected and heal incorrectly. "He shouldn't have broken your arm, Alex."
Shrugging halfheartedly, Alex responded, "He's done it before."
"That doesn't make it right," Wolf replied as he finished with the ace bandage. He maneuvered towards the back of the room and Alex could see him fish a sling out of the kit.
"Doesn't mean he'll stop," Alex whispered, hoping that Wolf couldn't hear him. He took a step back when Wolf approached him with the sling. "I can't wear that."
"Alex, you don't have a choice," Wolf responded. "Well, okay, you do have a choice, but look at me, Alex. Do you want your arm to heal incorrectly? Because then you can leave it without a sling. While I'm on medical doctor, I know enough about first aid to know that your chances of retaining full –"
"Okay, okay, I'll wear it," Alex grumbled, knowing that he wasn't going to get out of it. He was surprised to hear Wolf protest. He hated wearing a sling; it made him have very limited range of motion.
Alex didn't like having a limited range of motion in his arm. It made him feel like he couldn't move his arm properly and would be less able to block his father's blows. Still, Wolf was right; he did want his arm to heal correctly. Breathing a heavy sigh, Alex tried to remain positive about the situation, not that there was much that he could find to be positive about.
"Are you okay?" Wolf asked him as he slipped a few of the first aid supplies they would most need in his own pocket. He hadn't missed Alan Blunt's words that they would be moving tonight, and knew that they would need some first aid supplies. He sincerely doubted that they would be found in their current location.
"Do I look like I'm okay?" Alex snapped back, then instantly felt sorry that he had said anything. Wolf was only trying to help. He couldn't bite his head off like that. Or, at least, he hoped Wolf was only trying to help.
"Okay, no, you don't. I guess I meant, 'you aren't about to die on me anytime soon, are you?'" Wolf questioned, raising his eyebrow. Alex could see him shift nervously and guessed that the SAS man was nervous about asking the question twice.
"I've had worse," Alex mumbled. He dropped onto the bed as the door opened.
"Doesn't make it right," Wolf muttered, glancing at the form of Alan Blunt, who was accompanied by someone else who Wolf didn't know. Wolf saw no signs of recognition on Alex's face, so he guessed he didn't know, either.
"Oh, look, they're all ready for transport, Joseph," Alan Blunt said. Alex flinched at his tone of voice. Something was wrong. Something was really, really wrong, but for the life of him, Alex couldn't figure out what.
"That's good. Should I drug them?"
Alan rolled his eyes. "Do you want them to escape halfway across the country?"
"Do you?" The other man returned.
"Just drug them to sleep."
Alex exchanged a glance with Wolf. This wasn't going to be good.
"You don't need to drug us," Wolf said. Alex glanced at him; his voice was deceivingly calm. "I promise you that we won't try anything."
"And why should I believe anything you say?" Alan returned. It was clear to Alex that he was dead set on drugging the two. That didn't comfort Alex at all, but he was far too worried about the consequences of opposing his father to stand up to him.
"Look, I want what's best for Alex," Wolf started, only to be interrupted by the infamous Alan Blunt.
"And you think I don't?" Alan blunt snapped. He reached out and smacked Wolf in the face, causing Wolf's head to snap back. Alex flinched and moved away from the two, not wanting to be caught in the middle of their argument.
"I never said that," Wolf reminded him, even though Alex knew he thought Alan Blunt was the parent from hell, and that was putting it politely. "I just think it would be better if for the transport we weren't drugged."
With that statement, Joseph prepared the needle. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just drug Alex to sleep right now," he responded, "and then drug you into the afterlife accidentally."
"Well, you shouldn't drug me into the afterlife accidentally because I know that Alan Blunt wants me around to care for Alex," Wolf said, his voice even-tempered. Alex was impressed, he'd expected Wolf to punch the man or something, already. Alex certainly felt like doing it; he just knew he wouldn't be able to do so. "Plus, I'm allergic to almost every drug. I know you don't care much about my safety, but I bet you wouldn't want my vomit on your carpet."
"And why not Alex?" the man asked, maneuvering closer to Alex, where he held the needle against Alex's arm.
"Because, my friend, should you drug Alex, I will not cooperate, and you don't want to see the full force of my anger unleashed." Wolf smiled at that, and Alex gulped, wondering just what the man was capable of.
"There are two of us and one of you," Alan reminded him patiently. Alex flinched and glanced up. His father could be patient? That was certainly new.
"Yes, but I've trained for SAS for several years while you have had a boring desk job and been in the slammer," Wolf reminded him. Alex swallowed hard. Joseph pocketed the needle.
"Fine. We won't drug you. You're right; I don't care about your safety, but I do care about my carpet," Alan responded. "Joseph, tie them up and place them in the van. I promised we'd leave tonight, and I am a man of my word."
A sick, sick man of your word, Alex thought shakily as he followed Joseph down the stairs.
Katakana looked up at Eagle. "Look, I don't understand why you have a problem with me. I tried to help Alex."
"If you tried to help Alex, why is he still missing?" Eagle asked evenly, sliding into his seat. He had a feeling this was going to be a long cat and mouse game.
"I didn't say I helped him that much."
"Look," Don Eppes said, breaking the conversation, "You're on American soil. We know you're American born. You betrayed your country. You know what that is? Treason."
"I told you I was CIA!" Katakana said, rising from his chair.
"Sit," Don ordered, "or I walk out of here and send you down to a prison and forget you exist."
Katakana glanced nervously at Eagle, then sat down. "We know you're not CIA, Katakana. Clearly you're not SAS either. So… who are you? And, don't think I still haven't noticed you haven't answered my first question."
"I don't even know who I am anymore," Katakana said. "Go ahead and send me down to the worst prison you've got, Mr. FBI, I've been through it all before."
"But do you want to do it again?" Eagle asked. He knew that he and Don were playing a version of 'nice cop, bad cop' and was happy to play the bad cop.
"Look, whatever, I don't care what happens to me." Katakana sighed very slowly, and Eagle knew that they would have to track down exactly where he came from. "Give me a piece of paper."
"Why?" Don asked coldly.
"So that I can write down some places where I think Alan Blunt may go. I don't care about going to prison, but I'd rather not get the death sentence."
With that, Eagle wordlessly tore out a piece of paper from his notebook, and Katakana hastily scribbled down a few addresses.
"You're forgetting to mention that you betrayed your country and you killed a British government agent," Don Eppes said. "We appreciate your information, but I can't and won't guarantee that you won't get a death sentence."
"But—" Katakana started, only to be interrupted by Eagle.
"Look, because of you, one of my best friends is dead. The sergeant's kid, who he legally adopted, may never be found alive, and if he is found alive, he may never be seen again. You betrayed your country – no, you betrayed two countries. Sure, you got help for Fox, but that was only to make yourself look good. I am going to make sure they fry you alive."
With that, Eagle turned and left the room.
Wow! An update! Finally!
Challenges:
What is Wolf's plan? Does he have one? Will he attempt to get him and Alex out of there alive by himself? Or will he call for backup at the next opportunity?
Will Alex be able to help Wolf with his plan should he choose to do so?
Where are Snake and Fox?
Is Katakana good, or bad? Will his information check out and provide the team with a lead? Or will he be lying? When will K-Unit realize Wolf is still alive?
