Alex was in a foul mood. Their teacher, Dr Miles, had told him that his bones were undeveloped and had had more fractures than the San Andreas fault line. Alex had told Mr Miles that his nose would more fractures than Alex's arm if he didn't watch out. This had resulted in being sent out into the hallway where he'd remained, bored out of his mind until it was time for maths.
Alex had sat through an aganosing hour of algebra, counting down the minutes until it was time to leave. The lesson was tedious, but what made it all the more worse was what Alex knew was waiting for him at the end of it. The bell rang and the teacher assigned liberal amounts of homework to the class, berated Alex for his foul language and set them out.
Georges caught up with him outside the room.
"Hey Alex! Alex."
"What?" he asked roughly. His fear of where he was going to was getting to him.
"Alright mate, calm down," said Georges, offended, "I was going to walk you out."
Alex gave him a puzzled look.
"To your car? Your chauffeur's here to take you to the next school." oh
Georges didn't even sound remotely impressed that Alex had his own chauffeur, instead he sounded casual as he talked about their shared wealth. Tom, Alex knew would have been ecstatic that someone at their school had a personal driver.
"Oh, yeah" said Alex distractedy, "that'd be great, thanks."
Georges pointed left down the corridor and they set off down it. "So Alex, which school you off to look at next?"
Unprepared, Alex stalled for time, "I don't know, it's got to be better than this one though."
"Ha ha," said Georges sarcastically, "but seriously, which one? You know," he leaned in close to Alex, "I've been kicked out of quite a few schools round here, I can tell you if they're any good."
"Err-" Alex searched desperately round in his mind for a suitable name, "Lincoln High." he said panicking.
"Oh," Georges said, downcast, "I don't think I've been to that one." his expression cleared, "Ah well, nevermind, I'm sure it'll be lousy. Hey can I add you on Instagram?"
"Sure," Alex said tonelessly.
"Cool."
They walked a few paces in silence as Georges tapped at his phone.
"Hey man, cool dog! Is that a polish sheepdog?"
Thankful that he had looked over the media accounts last night, Alex grinned back at him, "Yeah, It's my sister Fiona's - hey guess what she called it?"
"What?"
"Paul Anka."
"No way! Like from Gilmore Girls?"
"Jesus Georges, I can't believe you know that. It's one thing for Fiona to know that but you! I expected better."
"Hey, Gilmore Girls is underrated man."
Alex gave him an unimpressed look. Georges tugged the sleeve of his blazer. "This way, you need to get your bag."
Alex followed Georges up the stairs to his room. They entered and Georges immediately flopped down onto the bed.
"No way! Your bed is super comfy, how come mine isn't like this?" he whined
"They like me better obviously."
Alex grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder and walked to the mirror. He mussed up his hair and checked the fastenings of his earrings.
"You're a good looking boy Alex." commented Georges from the bed.
"You think so?" asked Alex smiling at Georges through the mirror.
"Yeah, I just love your pout in this picture of you and your sis."
Alex turned to look at him, confused. "What?"
"On 'FifiFriend's' Instagram."
Alex gave a fake groan and gestured for Georges to bring him the phone. Georges threw him the phone and Alex caught it, looking at the image on the screen. Immediately, he saw he'd gained two new followers. The image Georges had been laughing at was of himself and Fiona Friend in a picture Alex knew had never been taken. Yet here he was, pouting at the camera like a school girl. With horror, he realised that the image of himself was real, but it hadn't been Fiona he'd taken it with, it had been Sabina. When had someone at the CIA or MI6 had time to photoshop these images?
How had they known that Alex would be kidnapped and forced to leave his school? Did they have a stock of photographs ready? Or was someone just particularly gifted? He pushed the thought out of his mind and threw the phone back to Georges.
"I knew I should never have trusted Fi with that photo."
"Sucks for you."
"MMm."
Alex took his own phone out of his pocket and replaced it in his satchel. He did the same with the bottle of pills, adjusting the textbooks in his bag. When he'd finished, he looked up to see Georges looking at him funnily.
"So, what are those pills actually for?" he asked, humour gone from his voice.
"I work for MI6 as a teenage spy and they use these pills to keep me small." Alex said flatly.
Georges laughed loudly, throwing his head back against the pillows. "Good one."
"No, really, I'm actually twenty-eight."
Georges cackled. "Imagine though, if they were a real thing, how would they even work?"
Alex smiled awkwardly, "I don't know? I guess some modified version of hormone blockers."
"Woooow," said Georges, "that'd be fucked up. Anyway, it's okay you don't want to tell me, come on, you should probably get to your car." He jumped up from the bed and headed for the door. Alex checked his reflection in the mirror one last time and adjusted his collar. Then, with a shout from Georges, followed the other boy out of the room.
"But dad,"
"No Sabina, please just stop."
"But dad, isn't it just a bit too convenient?" Sabina asked pleadingly
"Yes, I suppose it is," sighed her father, tiredly, "but I'm not going to bother Sir David Friend about something which is- well not conclusive."
"But why would they keep up his alias if he didn't need it?" she demanded, furiously showing him the instagram account, "look, he's even got a new follower, not a minute ago."
"Sabina, you should really be at school."
"Dad, I think Alex is in danger, I think he's on another mission, and I know he wont have agreed without some form of incentive. They used Jack's visa the first time round and I don't think I could bear it if-" she stopped short. She wasn't sure what she would do if Alex had risked his life because MI6 had threatened her.
Her father looked at her kindly. He smiled, "Okay, how's this - I'll talk to your mother and see what she thinks but if there's more activity on the account I'll contact David immediately?"
Sabina chewed her lip anxiously, she would have liked him to call him straight away, but this would have to do. She nodded. "Okay, thank you."
She took the phone back from her father and saw the follower account on 'Alex Friend's' account had risen. The information below his bio now said, 'followed by Coaches_Brad'. She rolled her eyes at his antics. He'd been smitten with Alex for the past few weeks and had eyes for no one but him.
Despite the fact that Brad was probably the most annoying person she knew, Sabina found herself strangely moved by the boys earlier actions, he'd seemed oddly, uncharacteristically, unmotivated by hopes of personal gain.
The chauffeur's name was Liam, but he was known as Joseph to everyone he worked with professionally. Liam worked for a branch of Anatolievich's organisation, it was a dull job, just driving people about - but he had three young children to support and it was surprisingly easy. Today, he had been assigned to ferry a kid from Washington D.C. to Miami. It would be boring but safe and hey, he still got paid.
The kid was late however, and Liam had no intention of arriving tardily to the diplomat's house. He waited, leant against the door of the bently, the hot sun beating down upon him and eventually a blonde kid, with his blazer and shirt arms rolled, tie undone and hair a mess exited the school. He was accompanied by a shorter boy who was dressed neatly, but bouncing around excitedly.
Liam immediately identified the blonde kid as Alex Friend, the son of the wealthy Sir David Friend. He looked unruly, and like he enjoyed causing havoc. Liam did not like people like Alex for he set great store by rules and guidelines and didn't see why people insisted on breaking them.
The two boys neared the car and Liam opened the passenger door for the boy. Alex flicked his chin at Liam in greeting and whispered something to his friend and the shorter boy laughed.
"Well, bye Georges," said Alex, giving the other boy a small wave.
"See you around. I hope you choose this school, we'd make a great couple."
"Take Professor Lauton by storm."
"Good afternoon Sir," said Liam smartly, interrupting the two boys, "My name is Joseph and I will be your driver for the day."
Alex grinned, "I can't believe you didn't meet me in a chariot of gold. And where is your dreamcoat? Come on man, you're holding out on me."
The other boy sniggered loudly and gave Alex an obvious wink.
"Bye!" Alex called stepping into the car.
The other boy waved in return and Liam closed the door on Alex. He moved round to the other side of the car and slid into the driver's seat.
"Hello." came a voice from the back, "I'm Alex."
Liam turned round. The people he escorted didn't usually make conversation. He gave the kid a once over. Now that he was away from the other boy - Georges, he had lost the cool, calm, confident demeanor, the swagger was gone and now the boy looked anxious and exhausted.
"Nice to meet you."
Alex nodded. Liam put the car into gear and set off from the school.
The trip was uneventful, Alex was quiet in the back seat and the roads were relatively quiet this time of day. Liam checked the rearview mirror once or twice and saw Alex, headphones in, eyes closed. He looked much younger, his eyes were what aged him. By the time they had stopped for lunch in Richmond, Alex looked pale and a little green.
"You carsick?" he asked, concerned.
"Mm? Oh, no just nervous y'know."
"What for?" asked Liam confused, he'd been told Alex knew his employer.
Alex gave him an odd look. "No reason." he said after a while.
"Come on, I'm meant to buy you lunch, what'd you want?"
Alex shrugged, "I don't feel like eating, sorry."
Liam really wasn't sure what to make of the kid. The tough guy vibe which his outfit gave was nowhere to be seen in his mannerisms. The kid walked timidly, head down and his fingers twisted in his clothing. Everytime a horn beeped, he would flinch and as they crossed the road to get to the cafe he glanced around more than was necessary, looking up at the building's across the street.
"Well, I do," he said confidently, he pushed open the door of the cafe, "can I get you a drink then?"
Alex nodded, "a coke?"
"You got it, go find us a table?"
Liam ordered a coffee, a coke and a ham sandwich and then sat down opposite Alex. They sat in silence, Alex staring out of the window at the street.
"So, are you looking forward to staying with Mr Anatolievich?
"Why would I be looking forward to it?"
Liam shrugged, "I was told he was your godfather and you'd never met him before, but I'm starting to wonder if that is actually what is going on here."
Alex snorted lightly, "No, it's not. And I'm not meant to say that, but honestly, I don't care at the moment."
Liam processed this. He was used to being kept in the dark - it came with the job, but seeing the pale, scared look on this kids face was enough to make Liam curious. The waitress brought the drinks and sandwich and Liam chewed on his food thoughtfully, watching the boy across from him.
Alex poured out his coke and sipped it.
"I'd ask what is actually going on, but it would probably cost me my job." Liam stated
Alex nodded, disinterestedly "Probably would, yeah." he agreed calmly.
Liam watched as the boy dug in his stachel and brought out a bottle. He shook out two round pills and returned the others to the bag. He caught Liam watching him.
"Definitely don't ask about this." he said firmly and swallowed the pills, washing them down with coke.
They sat in complete silence for the remainder of Liam's meal. It was only as they left the cafe when Alex spoke. "Do you think this place has a library?"
Liam blinked, surprised, "Yeah, I reckon so, I mean, doesn't every city?"
"Can we go to it?"
"I'm not sure, my-"
"Please, I know we're only meant to be there at," he checked his phone, "Five?"
"Nice try kid, it's half five for your information, but you didn't know that."
"Come on, please. I'll let you choose whatever music you'd like for the rest of the journey."
Liam pondered this, it would make things much more interesting, and it wouldn't affect their arrival time. "Alright, but please don't tell Mr Anatolievich."
Alex grinned, and suddenly he was transformed from scared little boy into excited child in a sweetshop. "Thanks."
Alex entered the library alone, having told Joseph to bring the car around, he'd only be two minutes. Alex had had time to think whilst being in the car. Mainly about how convenient the timing had been for him to be kidnapped and how weird it had been. It had been like the sniper at Brooklands a few months ago too. There had been a threat at his school, and Alex would be putting people in danger if he stayed and therefore he had left. It was all too simple to happen twice.
He'd made up his mind, he was going to try contact Sabina. He strode into the library, searching for a computer. He found an empty one and slid into the seat. He opened up google, searched for instagram, created a new account and logged in.
He opened up a direct message and typed.
Hi Brad, Danny Drinkwater here. I'm very good at passing things on to other players on my team and I bet you are too.
Because my life is pretty blunt, my leaving was unexpectedly due to a fantastic cause. I am well, but am visiting a friend of a Friend. He has a lot in common with the guy we both met on the plane - the one who knew my dad. They're pretty similar, except this one will want to bully me and I don't want to let that happen.
Your dad's job might come in handy and there's a chance I won't have to let him bully me, at least, not for long. Don't do anything you think I would do.
He logged off a second after he saw it had been delivered and made his way out of the library to where Joseph was waiting.
Let's go." he said, putting on a smile. Joseph looked perplexed but opened the door to the car for Alex anyway.
"Mr Anatolievich awaits."
Okay, so yes before anyone says - I know it takes much longer to get from Washington D.C to Miami but I didn't check before I wrote this and it was a terrible mistake but please please try and overlook it as much as you can. The timings are actually about right from Washington to Richmond but it takes waay longer than 3 hours to get to Miami from Richmond.
Also yay! We finally know what's in the pills - and honestly I did some research and freaked myself out by learning that its not actually that far fetched, granted you'd probably need an injection rather than a pill but oh my God science is scary and amazing.
And yay again for the coded message in the DM - you can probably work it out by going back a few chapters, or you can just wait for Sabina to figure it out.
Also I'm really sorry for the formatting issues I keep having - I need to check what the chapter looks like before just posting, I still don't really get what's happening for it to go crazy like that but I'll figure it out.
I promise Alex will meet Anatolievich in the next chapter btw.
Reviews motivate and give life to me, so if you feel like giving some suggestions or feedback please do so. :))
