Alex was led back down the same corridor as last night, following a silent agent who hadn't spoken at all apart from to wake him. He wondered where Ghost was but didn't much feel like asking the surly man in front of him.
After a little while of walking, Alex was directed into a room on his right. The walls were white like the hallway but instead of tile, the room was carpeted. There was even a window; a squishy looking sofa was backed against the wall closest to him and a long desk stood in the middle of the room. There was a single chair on the side closest Alex and several decorating the opposite side.
The lone chair was vacated, whilst four others across from it were already filled. Unfortunately, they were filled by two of Alex's least favourite people; Mrs Jones and Alan Blunt. Next to Alan Blunt sat Joe Byrne and on Mrs Jones side, a man with a greying beard dressed in full fatigues who Alex didn't recognise.
The guard who'd brought him here left, and Alex wandered awkwardly into the room. He'd expected MI6 to turn up of course, he'd been kidnapped. That just didn't happen without them knowing.
"Ah, Alex," said Joe Byrne pleasantly, "sit down."
Alex sat.
"This here," said Byrne, gesturing at the grey bearded man, "Is Lieutenant Stanley. He runs Fort Bragg."
Alex nodded comprehensively, "B Squadron's commander, you gave the orders for my rescue."
The man looked at him with interest, narrowing his eyes.
"So what if I did, kid?" he asked shrewdly.
Alex shrugged, "I-" he began but Blunt interrupted.
"Nevermind your questions now, we need to run through the events of the past day and compare our information with yours. Alex, if you'd like to tell us what exactly happened?"
He phrased it as a question and Alex fought down the urge to say 'no' but he realised how childish it would be and nodded.
"On Monday morning" he looked at Lieutenant Stanley and added, "in San Francisco, I walked to school as usual, had my physics lesson, had break" He paused, "I didn't leave the school building like I usually do - this guy Brad-" he looked up the adults, "it's not important. Anyway about two minutes in I'm called to the office, and these two guys in black suits are waiting for me, they both had concealed weapons." He saw the soldier blink in surprise at this detail. "They were both Caucasian, about forty - blonde, about six foot. Anyway one draws his gun and then the doors open and another man in a navy suit comes in - he was African american, dark hair, about thirty, he had a southern accent. Anyway, with him were three armed response guys - from the FBI or at least that what it said on their vests. They arrested the two men in black, handcuffed them and lead them away."
Alex swallowed. "Go on, Alex." said Joe Byrne kindly.
"It was then that I realised that the receptionist, Miss Sadie wasn't in her chair - She was on the floor behind the desk - she looked like she'd been shot so I tried to stem the blood flow, put pressure on the wound. The guy in the navy suit called an ambulance and paramedics took her away. My headteacher, Mr Vardy turned up a minute after and the agent told him that he'd have to take me away because it looked like I'd been directly targeted.
It was then I thought something might be up - the FBI had turned up rather too quickly and the agent hadn't told me his name or shown any credentials. Anyway he took me to a van and in it was three men in combat gear and my receptionist. They knocked me out with something and I woke up in the bungalow in South Carolina. The man in the suit called himself Robert. He said he was from Scoripa but I don't think he was."
"And why not?" asked Blunt bemusedly.
"They want me dead," began Alex, "not captured and tortured for information, they made that pretty clear." Alex rubbed the bullet scar on his chest, "he also asked me where the location of MI6 headquarters was and they already know that. They kidnapped me from school which is much more difficult than from on the street. It was also like he wasn't really trying to hurt me - he didn't inflict any kind of long term injury, he didn't even threaten me with it."
As Alex spoke, Joe Byrne looked increasingly more nervous; he wondered why.
"So," said an unfamiliar voice, and Alex turned to look at the Lieutenant, "you think something is suspicious because there wasn't enough...danger?"
Alex nodded simply.
"Alex," said Blunt, leaning forward, "I agree with you I don't think this man was from Scoripa," Mr Byrne's head moved sharply to look at Blunt, "I think he is a Scoripa fanatic, someone who admired them and blame you for their downfall." Mrs Jones nodded along, "you embarrassed Scorpia, but in doing so you angered their admirers. I think they want revenge."
Alex considered this. "But why kidnap me from school?"
"They do not seem as organised as many of your other enemies. They seem serious, but misguided."
"So, are they a threat?" Asked Alex nervously.
"Regrettably Alex" said Mrs Jones, "we believe they are. If we're correct, they're part of a much larger organisation. Smaller organisations have banded together unusually through a mutual hatred."
"So what am I meant to do?" asked Alex, his heart sinking, "Am I going to have to stay away from my school?"
Mrs Jones and Blunt exchanged glances with each other.
"Actually Alex, we have a proposition-"
"No." Alex said curtly before she could finish, "No way, No. I'm out, I'm not doing your dirty work for you."
Lieutenant Stanley looked confused. So he didn't know who Alex was?
"Alex, hear us out."
"NO."
He got up to leave.
"Sir down Alex," Said Blunt tiredly. "Or do I have to resort to reminding you of certain past events?"
Alex raised an eyebrow and Blunt continued.
"You willingly joining Scoripa?" The Lieutenant gave a little gasp. "You shooting Julius Grief in cold blood?"
"It was self defence!"
"Was it?"
Alex chewed his lip; doubt flooding his mind. These were the questions that had been swimming round his brain for the past few months. He had joined Scorpia, under false information sure, but he had still enjoyed it when he'd been there. It hadn't just been hate for MI6 and reverence for his father which had spurred him on. And Julius. He'd been on the floor, unarmed - he'd had Alex's face. And he'd still shot him.
The memory of Julius had haunted him over the recent months. That was partly why he'd let his hair grow so long. Julius' hair had been short and it had disturbed him to see Julius staring back a him whenever he looked in the mirror. He'd broken the glass in the barbours after the woman had revealed her handiwork. Edward had picked the glass out of his hand, apologised to the hairdresser and bandaged his knuckles, promising not to tell Liz or Sabina. From then on, he hadn't visited a barbour no matter how annoying his hair got.
Alex sat back down.
"There is a man, Pyotr Anatolievich or Peter Anatol if you like. He is causing Mr Byrne and the CIA here a myriad of problems."
"Ten thousand problems?" Alex asked, under his breath.
"What was that Alex?" asked Mrs Jones.
He shook his head, "Nothing, school stuff."
Blunt coughed. "Back to Mr Anatolievich. He is a highly influential Russian diplomat in Miami. He is also the benefactor of many drug cartels in Mexico. He also supplies gangs and civilians with firearms and ammunition, all across the western continents - primarily Latin America, Mexico and the US."
Alex was expecting him to finish but he continued.
"He finds safe houses for other dangerous criminals and uses his power and influence to control trials and local police forces, he controls over a dozen prostitution rings and encourages child labour on his cannabis production plants. He employs illegal immigrants and pays them little to nothing. He steals from the charities which make him popular. We don't think he's working for the russian government in anything but a diplomatic capacity but we're not sure that they don't condone his behaviour either."
Alex sat there in rapt silence. He couldn't believe one man could be so evil. "And you want to send me in against him? Why me?"
"We have other agents working against his organisation individually of course" said Mrs Jones, "but they're impossibly organised and we have intelligence that he keeps a log, a diary of sorts in his private quarters, we want you to retrieve the diary, and then get out."
"So send a more experienced agent in." said Lieutenant Stanely.
Alex looked up in surprise, the Lieutenant was defending Alex? He was looking concerned.
"We tried," Said Mr Byrne sadly, "Liam Porter. Fresh out of the academy. He was found at the bottom of Bahama Rock Quarry a few weeks ago."
Alex gave him a questioning look.
"He must have been discovered, poor lad. That's how Anatol likes to kill his less than loyal subjects."
Alex shuddered.
"So why me? What can I do that he couldn't?"
Blunt and Mrs Jones looked at Joe Byrne in sync. The man was sweating. "What Mr Blunt didn't mention Alex, is that Anatol is a sex offender."
"Oh." said Alex, he wasn't really sure what that meant in regard to the mission.
"He has a preference for young boys, around the ages of thirteen to sixteen."
Alex felt sick. He was being sent to cosy up to a man who- he began to rise out of his chair once again.
"Now Alex," Mrs Jones said kindly, "we're not asking you to do anything you don't want to do, anything you don't believe necessary for the success of the mission it is just more likely that Anatolievich will let his guard down around you more easily."
Alex nodded, it made sense even though he did feel like crying and hiding behind his knees.
"What happens if I say I won't do it?"
"Then you'll be condemning thousands of people to lives or misery, hundreds of people will die from the result of gun violence, HIV, drug abuse-"
"Okay I get it." Alex said quietly, "how would I get...close…to him?"
There was a knock at the door.
"Perfect timing." said Blunt, "Enter."
Alex turned to look at the door and was surprised when he saw who was walking through it.
"Mr Friend?" he asked incredulously.
The man smiled when he saw Alex. "Hi, kid."
He pulled an empty chair from the opposite side of the table and pulled it round to sit next to Alex.
"Lieutenant Stanley," said Mrs Jones, "If you would leave us now. The debrief has finished I believe."
The man looked like he had more to say, that he didn't really want to leave but he nodded dutifully and rose from the table.
"Hey, kid," he said, addressing Alex, "if I don't see you before you leave...good luck."
Alex nodded at him amicably, and forced out a small smile. It wasn't the Lieutenant's fault what Alex was about to do. He tried not to look to resigned or scared as the man's eyes searched his face.
"Thank you. Tell Ghost and the others thank you again will you?"
"Sure thing, kid." he pushed open the door and left the room.
Lieutenant Stanley couldn't shake the feeling that he'd just left a rabbit in the centre of a wolf den. The kid looked so young, and these people were using him, carting him off to get close to a sex offender? It was horrible, but he knew that if he tried to complain then he'd be left homeless, jobless, penniless and nameless in the matter of a few hours. He hoped the kid was brave. Running at the enemy with a loaded rifle was one thing, but pretending to be cosy to a maniac like that; not giving himself away, walking straight toward the enemy knowing exactly what was in store for him and not backing away, that was a whole new level.
