Chapter Two
A little Explaining…

"Scorpia know I'm alive?" Alex asked, watching Raisa more intently.
The girl nodded. "They know that you're in London too, and they're well…a little annoyed about Mrs Rothman and Nile."
He sighed heavily, frowning, then pressing a hand to his forehead. It hurt some.
"So, they're after me. How did you know where I was? Who I was?"

Raisa smiled, leaning back in her chair and contemplating an answer. Alex saw a little of her father in every move.
"I knew who you were, because of stories my father told me about yours. When I was little, when my mother was alive, he would go off on missions for Scorpia. I was only about five when she was killed, and he had to either take me with him, or leave me with my aunts." She smiled a little, at the memories. "Then, he came back a few months ago, after the thing with Sayle, and told me about you. About what you'd become. I was so excited; I had to meet you. So he started taking me on missions again. I – I helped out, was pretty much in command at his side, and then, with…"

She broke off, looking down. "I swore revenge on Scorpia that day, as I watched them take away my father's body. I followed you back, and, well, I have my own ways of keeping tabs on MI6. I knew what my father would tell you, but I didn't want you to go to Scorpia. I followed you to Venice; my father had set up a bank in my name for an emergency. From Venice, I saw you meet Nile in that room, then, I waited outside. I followed Tom from there, you were his friend, you'd go to him. And I was right. From there to Naples, then to Consanto. Where, you confronted Nile a second time. I knew it was going to be destroyed, and I waited outside. I guess…I guess I had an idea of what Scorpia were up to. I knew you wouldn't be harmed as long as you were useful to them. As all there recruits are. "

Alex watched her as she thought through what she was saying. He noticed then, for the first time, how alone she looked. Just…separate. From everything.

"I came back to London then. There's no point trying to fly into Malagosto; you'll get shot down before you can even see the place. I waited, keeping an ear out for news. Then I saw that thing on the news, about 'someone' escaping, and knew that I was too late to get to you. I was going to talk to you that day…the day you were shot. Only, Scorpia got there first."

Mrs Jones stopped her. "You knew what was going on the whole time, and you didn't tell us?"
"That's the problem, see, if I walk into MI6 HQ, guess what happens? I get arrested. Then, you'd never believe me about Alex, and besides, I didn't know exactly what was going on. I had a vague idea, but not enough to convince everybody. If I'd have known they were gonna shoot him, I would've done something," Raisa replied.

Alex nodded. "I don't think I would've believed you, and I know what it's like, to not be believed."
She gave him a small smile. "Not good, is it?"

The door opening interrupted them, and Alan Blunt walked in. His suit was as grey and as neat as ever, but Alex noticed Raisa move to the edge of her seat, as if she was going to run off at any moment. He gave her a reassuring smile, but for once, she didn't smile back, just watched Blunt carefully.

Upon seeing Raisa, Blunt said nothing, though he frowned a little. He looked across at Alex.
"Any better?" he asked.
Alex nodded. "I'm awake now," he answered.
"Good," Blunt replied, then, as though he didn't want to seem particularly nice, "We want you to come down to Headquarters, to talk about your situation."

He then looked back over at Raisa again.
"There's some agents outside waiting for you. They're going to accompany you back, where we're going to ask you some questions."
She looked a little scared for a moment, but then was composed again.
"Why can't you ask me here?"
"It's classified."
"How is it 'classified?' Everything that I'm going to tell you, I've told them already," she retorted.

"We need to know where you've been since Yassen died," Mrs Jones replied. Her black eyes looked up into Raisa's, and the teenager looked away.
"That's my business," she said, looking up at Blunt.
"You're still coming with us," he answered sharply. "We need to get everything you know, if we're to help Alex."

"Wow. You're actually gonna help him now, rather than get him killed?" she snapped.
"We're looking for someone to protect him," Blunt replied. "We need to know everything."
She smirked, watching him. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were telling the truth," she answered.

Mrs Jones stood, glaring at Raisa. "Why would we want to kill Alex? You talk about it like you've never seen it, which I know you have. Why would we do that to him?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Why would you? You managed to get his father and uncle killed, and they worked for you by free will. Why is Alex any different?"

The woman looked as though Raisa had just slapped her, and Blunt no different, though he handled it in his own way.
"Now," he growled, opening the door and gesturing for her to go through. She looked over at Alex, giving him a small smile, then walked out to the agents waiting for her.

Alex shifted, looking at the two from MI6. He thought of something.
"Why can't Raisa protect me?" he asked.
They looked shocked, then glanced at eachother. "You do know who – and what – she is, don't you, Alex?" Mrs Jones said.
Alex nodded. "That's why I'd trust her," he replied.

Blunt shook his head. "She's too dangerous, too unpredictable. She can't be trusted."
Alex sighed, laying back down. "I'll come to Headquarters when I feel better," he said.

It was the closest thing to a 'get lost' that they'd ever heard from Alex, and the two left. Alex looked over at Jack.
"She doesn't seem that bad," Jack said, with a smile.
"I know," replied Alex. "I know."


A.N: Reviews please!

Gunner1000: Here's the next update for you!
Adcohen: Um..thanks )
Beccamorgan: Thanks for the review, and, I didn't actually know that anyone else had this idea…I thought about it when I was reading Eagle Strike…still…thanks.