~Winter, 1999~
Nigel would admit, even after he stopped being Harry he had many a plans backfire in his face. Some where harmless and some led towards more danger then others but this...
This was not how he planed on their reunion to go.
He had heard of the assassinations rampaging through Texas, the deadly game between two professionals that left a body count deep enough to drown in. It was due to these rumors that he arrived in Texas, determined to locate and talk to his Lad- while hopefully convincing him to return either to England or back to his assigned team. In a way, maybe he succeeded?
He fount his beloved nephew after all... He just...
He does not recognize the Lad before him with impossibly wide blue eyes and a trembling gun in hand.
This was not the way he had planned for things to go.
"Uncle Nigel?"
A part of the elder wonders if he should drop the act- if he did the spy knew he could disarm the Lad before he could even think of pulling the trigger- but all Private has known has been clumsy, careless, accident prone Uncle Nigel. So he smiles, that goofy brainless yet pleased smile instead.
"Private Lad! What are you doing out there? Come in, Come in!"
He pushes open the window, grabs the Lads wrist and yanks him off the balcony and into the hotel room. The younger stumbles but catches himself before he can fall as the elder of the two rushes about, grabbing a towel to clean the fresh snow already melting upon the bedroom floor and a heavy blanket to wrap the younger within for warmth.
He does not recognize the Lad before him but he is still his Private, therefore Nigel will do his best to keep the other safe and warm.
And maybe, just maybe, his fingers will stop twitching when the younger's grip shifts upon the gun in hand with the prominent urge to snap his nephew's neck.
This was not how the game was supposed to go.
The target was supposed to be an easy one, just another nobody of no importance. Another faceless being within a crowd of strangers.
Yet those familiar, surprised looking emerald eyes that meet his own through the glass plane was anything but.
Uncle Nigel.
He's not quite sure why the other's there, but there's no doubt in Private's mind the target Kid chose for him is his beloved, naïve, clumsy Uncle. For the first time in months something heavy settles within his chest, almost as though someone had put a bullet through him for a change.
"Private Lad!" The startled surprise is gone, replace by the warmth and comfort he had grown up with all his life, "What are you doing out there? Come in, Come in. "
The younger doesn't quite notice when his Uncle opened the widow- the older man had always been quick on his feet when he truly wished to be- yet it doesn't matter as the elder pulls him inside; a painful concern in those emerald jewels. His feet has barely touched the floor before Private finds himself buried under a mass of thick blankets.
"-need to warm you up, Lad. What where you doing outside in a blizzard? No, no, never mind. Why don't you go sit down and I'll prepare us some tea?"
His Uncle's constant rambling almost brings a smile to his face.
Almost.
Yet he cannot find it within himself to do so. Not with the knowledge had his Uncle not turned around, Private would have placed a bullet through the back of the elder's head without so much as a second thought.
He waits silently in the darkness of the hallway, listening as the Lad's breathing evens out while counting every moment. Before long the breaths have become deep and shallow, a clear sign the younger has finally drifted to sleep before Nigel allows his smile to vanish while pushing aside his Uncle Nigel Persona.
Sighing softly, the spy runs his fingers through his snowy- straightening out the mess he allowed it to become- before heading towards the kitchen. This was going to be a mess to clean up but if nothing else, Nigel was certain he could erase his nephews involvement easily enough- after all there was that other sniper who no doubt was still planning to go after his target. A few pulled strings and the Texan would be caught in the act. It would be a shame, the Lad must have been an interesting sort if he caught Private's eye but Family would always come first in Nigel's book.
First things first though, he would need to book a flight for his Nephew back to New York before daybreak. It wouldn't due to tempt fate by permitting the Lad to stay in this state any longer then absolutely necessary.
Come morning, Mr. Tux will have vanished into thin air- becoming nothing more than a Ghost- while the Armadillo Kid would find himself upon the Most Wanted List.
