Oh yes, and to finally answer the question of Ignotus-Veritas, which was this: "One question, if Sabina moved to America and found out he was a spy at the end of Eagle Strike, then how did . . . .?" ...it's been a couple months since I read the book... heheh... plot bunnies anyone? Well, in any case (because altering it would drastically destroy the story), it's a fanfic... Sabina stays dead...
Alex was awakened by sounds of things he had not yet expected coming from the hotel room next to him. He glared at the wall, not sure exactly what to think, as he rolled over in bed and sat with his head in his hands, contemplating the events of the past few days and exactly what would be happening that day.
Ever since he was young, being awakened this early in the morning was not one of his favorite things. Alex Rider was very far from being a morning, so it took his brain a few moments to engage. Quite a few moments. He later supposed that would explain his delayed reaction at the knock at the door, and the crazy guy with the Irish accent screaming through it about how he was the partner MI6 had sent for him.
Woah. Warning bells. Going off in Alex Rider's head. Partner? MI6 had mentioned nothing about a partner. Needless to say, though Alex Rider's brain had not yet quite engaged, his spider sense had begun to tingle - and he wasn't sure he liked the sensation.
First thing was first, however. Stop the crazy Irishmen banging on his door from telling the world he was with MI6. Though, most people probably wouldn't believe that Alex Rider, being a teenage boy, was with MI6, it was perhaps not the best idea to proclaim it to the world.
He stood up and walked over to the door, wearily, and opened the door a small amount so that he didn't have to undo the chain. Peering out, he found himself staring at another teenage boy. One who almost looked like him? He had the same kind of hair, only lighter (A/N: seeing as it's only really been stated that his hair is "fair", which can mean either blond or brown... to me anyway... I'm leaving it an enigma and I'm not even gonna try), and perhaps a small bit longer. He had the same shape to his face. He was just as muscular as Alex. But what stood out most to Alex, mainly because he found himself looking up to see the boy's face, was that he a little bit taller than Alex, standing in front of him at six full feet.
"Who. The. Hell. Are. You?" Alex asked, yawning.
"Name's Eoin." the boy greeted, grinning. Maybe it was that he had just released top secret MI6 information to the world, by screaming as loud as possible, or the fact it was early and Alex wasn't, and hadn't, been feeling like the happiest or most social person in the world... but his grin looked slightly demonic. Alex stared down at the boy's hand, which was held in greeting and hopes that Alex might shake it. "I'm your partner."
"What partner?" Alex asked. "Nobody said anything about a partner."
"Yeah, well, late news. Crawley thought you might need me." Eoin answered. Alex stared at the boy in disbelief.
"Crawley is dead." Alex stated.
"Dead?" the boy laughed. For some reason, when he laughed, Alex realized that he had never actually been told Crawley was dead. He had assumed it. It was a fairly decent assumption, considering that almost every time someone was unavailable (within a spy agency at least), it meant that they were dead. He had also taken into account Smithers' attitude. Could he have been wrong?
"Are you saying he's not?" Alex asked. The boy stopped laughing and stared over at him solemnly.
"I'm not saying anything of the sort." the boy answered. He leaned in. "Look, can I just come inside for a moment?"
Alex sighed and looked around at his room. He nodded to Eoin, closed the door, went to clean up the papers and files so that Eoin could not see them, went back over, and opened the door so that Eoin could step inside.
Eoin walked in and closed it. Alex wasn't entirely sure, but he thought he saw the faint outline of what could have been a gun in the leather jacket Eoin was wearing. The jacket was so loose, however, that each time he moved it was readjusted and the outline left.
"Who are you?" Alex asked.
"I told you." the boy replied. He looked around the room. "Nice flat."
"So then, where is Crawley?" Alex asked. Eoin sighed and looked over at him.
"Suffice it to say..." Eoin began, but stopped and trailed off when he saw Alex glare at him ruthless. It was one of those 'tell me the truth, or I will cut off your testicles and feed them to you' glares. They were mostly used by girls to get answers from their boyfriends, but it a lot more effective when Alex used it, and for a moment, Eoin feared for the children he had yet to have... and then it passed. "I take it, you've heard that speech?"
Alex answered him by nodding, and keeping up the glare. In fact, he made it slightly more intense.
"Where's Crawley?" Alex asked again.
"He's in hiding." Eoin replied, grinning that demonic smile of his. Alex frowned.
"Why is he in hiding?" Alex asked. Eoin shrugged.
"Something about a crazy lad, assassins, and drugs." he answered. There they go again. Those damn warning bells. They were so annoying.
Assassins? Drugs? CRAZY LAD? THIS guy was talking about CRAZY LADS? What was he, sane?
"So, what are you doing here?" Alex asked. Eoin's grin grew.
"Met 'em at Interpol. He thought I might be useful."
"I don't need a partner." Alex said. He walked over to the door, opened it, and waited for Eoin to leave. Eoin took the hint and walked over. He was two steps out of the door when he called back to Alex.
"Okay, but don't bitch at me when you lose the mission."
Alex glared at Eoin.
"Stop..." Alex sighed. Eoin turned around to face Alex. "How do I know Crawley sent you?"
Eoin looked left and right, making sure no one was watching. Alex's opinion of him changed slightly. This mission seemed to be important to him. Leaning over close to Alex's ear, he spoke to him in a whisper.
"The cow can't find his car."
...Alex's opinion of him changed. Again. For the worse.
"WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?" he screamed. Eoin burst out into laughter.
"Well, look at it this way: If I wasn't your partner, how would I have known you were with MI6, and on an important mission?" Eoin asked. Alex sighed. It was a fair question.
"Alex Rider." Alex told him, holding out his hand.
"Eoin Murphy." the boy replied, shaking Alex's hand. "I like your room."
And for a long moment, the only sounds that were heard was a bang, bang, bang, and a lot of screaming.
That was the beginning of what Alex was sure would be the most screwed up partnership in the history of mankind. And Ireland and England, as well.
Carnelian Rhapsody by Riley
Chapter 3 Partner or Sidekick?
"You're doing it all wrong." Eoin muttered to Alex. Alex's eye began to twitch. He was NOT doing it wrong.
"I am not." Alex replied, glaring.
"Are so."
"Am not."
"Are so."
"Am not."
"Are so."
"Do you want me to kill you?" Alex asked, glaring at the boy who had shown up at his hotel room earlier, claiming to be his partner in crime. Well... in getting rid of the crime. Well... Alex decided to drop the analogy altogether.
"Do you want me to shut up?" Eoin asked. Alex felt relief.
"God, yes."
"Then you're doing it wrong." Eoin said. "Do you want me to do it?"
Alex felt anger. Red, hot, blazing... anger.
"Fine, you're so bloody smart. You do it." Alex said.
"Fine." Eoin said, imitating Alex's tone of voice.
He picked up the cards and shuffled, preparing himself for a game of poker.
Five hours and a thousand games later, Alex had begun to see a pattern in Eoin's winning streak.
"You're cheating." Alex declared.
"I'm not cheating." Eoin scoffed, using that laugh that made Alex feel like an idiot for even thinking of the possibility.
"Are so."
"Am not."
"Are so."
"Am not."
"Are so."
"Am not."
"Are so."
"Am not."
"Yes, you are, dammit!" Alex shouted. He supposed, with how thin the walls of the hotel room were, the people in the room next door were hearing it and wondering exactly what had been going on. Oh well, let them wonder.
He looked back over at Eoin. Alex knew wasn't the best at poker, but he was as hell wasn't THAT bad. He stored this information away in his head. If this boy was to be his partner, he better be able to anticipate what he would do.
Note: Don't play poker with him and bet all your money.
The phone rang. Alex leaned over to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Winters?" the person on the other line asked. Alex scowled at the name. How... boring.
"Yes?"
"You have a message."
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When they arrived at the large estate of an American druglord who had more money than anyone should, Alex was weary. Or maybe he was playing the part of a delinquent looking to join a gang... Alex wasn't entirely sure. It was probably both.
"And you're looking for a job, I suppose?" a man, who went by the name of Juggernaut alone, asked. He was tall. Taller than Eoin. He was very muscular and looked like he could kill someone by pinching them, because his hands were so big. Alex got the impression that he could also kill someone by simply looking at them. Or maybe he wasn't feeling well?
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end chapter 3
A/N: Short... because... I just got the other chapter up this week... LOL I know, it's not an excuse. Well, I promised it'd be here this week. It's here. It's longer than the last one. I know that a lot doesn't happen in this fic, it's more... fun... ish... but consider this the beginning of the action. Consider this, the true beginning of the fic. Mission begins... in the next chapter! (Coming up Monday, April 10th, 2005)