Alex Rider: World Crisis
Chapter Seven: Strike One
The night has fallen in Rome, Italy. The stars twinkled as the moon shown brightly, its light illuminating the whole of the Italian capital. Inside one of its world renowned hotels, sat Alex Rider in an armchair in front of the television. Earlier that evening, he had received reports that a bank in London have been bombed as a result of a terrorist strike. It didn't take him long to put two and two. Alex Rider knew that MI6 headquarters in England was attacked. He looked at the news anchor speaking in Italian. It was one of those languages that he didn't master through Ian Rider. However, he had begun to pick up several important phrases which became useful in the Sicilian capital.
As the report spoke something of the Italian prime minister and AC Milan, he didn't bother to pay much attention. Suddenly, the report of the attack in London was announced. Alex sat up and stared intently at the television screen. His fears had been confirmed. MI6 headquarters have indeed been attacked. He then turned off the television and slumped in his armchair. Kristine had just exited from the bathroom and joined his partner in the living room. She looked at him and saw his glum expression. "What's the matter, Alex?" she asked.
Alex Rider looked up at her before taking a deep breath. She didn't know about the attack in London. Not yet. He hasn't given her the news about the attack yet. "MI6 was attacked…"he said in a monotonous voice. He didn't even display any emotion. Before his teenage partner could reply, the phone rang. Alex picked it up.
"Hello?" he began.
"Signor Rider?" a voice asked, heavy with an Italian accent.
"Yes?" Alex replied with his usual voice.
"It's a call from London. Important," the caller said.
"Alright, put me through…" Alex said as he took a breath.
"One moment, Signor…"the caller, presumably the manager of the hotel said.
"Alex…" the usual bored voice of Alan Blunt sounded on the phone. Alex was slightly taken aback. He had expected Mrs. Jones to talk to him.
"Yeah?" he asked, questioning the Head of MI6: Special Operations while listening intently to what he had to say.
"I assume you have heard about the attack on our headquarters. It's a terrible disaster which I have hoped to prevent. Several fatalities and casualties but that is not important. The important thing is that Scorpia sent an assassin to finish the job. They have declared war on us. It's time we fought back. Alex…I need your help…" the man in England said.
Alex Rider took a moment to register Alan Blunt's words. "wait a minute. Did you say you need my help?" Alex asked through the phone.
"Yes, Alex…What was a spy job has now become war…Smithers and Mrs. Jones are on their way to London. I also think the SAS will be involved in this operation," Alan Blunt said with a tired voice. It seemed like all of the energy was sucked out of the man.
"Wolf?" Alex asked, displaying some enthusiasm in his voice.
"Yes, I think the officer Wolf will also be involved in this operation. Mrs. Jones requested for him to be transferred from Baghdad for this mission," Alan Blunt continued.
"What do you need me to do?" Alex asked, intently.
"When Mrs. Jones arrive, she'll brief you on your mission. Whatever you do, do not engage Scorpia. Not for the time being. I'm sure they would be very soon locating you and your partner. I want you to switch hotels. The very least about a 25 km radius from your previous hotel. I'd suggest the Hotel Quirinile. All expenses will be taken care of Alex. Just get you and Kristine out of there," Alan Blunt said.
Alex nodded as though Alan Blunt was in front of him. "Alright," he said.
"Good luck, Alex…I wish you all the best…" Alan Blunt said as he put the receiver down in Sir Graham Adair's office in London.
Alex placed the receiver firmly down in his suite in Rome before jumping up quickly. "We have to pack…now…" Alex said as he sprang to the bedroom.
Kristine looked at Alex in surprise. "What? Why?" she asked as she looked at his frantic movements.
"Scorpia…"he said briefly. That one word was enough to explain the situation to Kristine. She also began packing up. As Alex prepared to leave his suite, there was a knock on his door. Alex cursed silently. Scorpia have arrived. He ran towards the balcony and tried to contemplate a plan. The knocks were heard again. This time, louder and more force exerted. He decided to jump towards the next balcony and make his escape there. "Kristine, I have a plan…"he said as he briefly explained his plan to her.
Five minutes later, the door of room 713 shattered and half a dozen of Scorpia agents entered the modern suite. They looked around and professionally combed the whole suite in search for the British military intelligence spy and his American counterpart. They shared the same expression when they couldn't find him. Scorpia's board of directors wasn't going to be pleased. They were already fuming over Alex Rider's able attempt to rescue his partner from Scorpia's base of headquarters. The agents alerted their comrades waiting in the lobby incase Alex and Kristine managed to escape. They were asked to be on look-out for either of the spies.
Alex Rider managed to jump across 300 metres above the ground and grasp onto the railings of the balcony of room 715. He climbed into the balcony and motioned for Kristine to follow suit. Kristine looked concerned about the suicidal attempt. As she leapt from the balcony, she managed to cling onto the balcony but the CIA agent slipped. She began cascading towards the ground at 20 metres a second. Without thinking, she whipped out her Siemens Mobile cell phone and launched the grappling hook towards Alex's direction. It managed to catch the railing of the balcony and left her dangling 160 metres above the ground. It slowly reeling her in as Alex made sure that the line was secure. Alex heaved a sigh of relief when she climbed into the balcony. Alex nodded before he lock picked the balcony's door and entered the neighboring suite. As the two agents exited the room, Scorpia agents who thought their mission was a failure met them along the corridor.
For a few moments, nobody made a movement. Alex and Kristine were shocked to see them there while the Scorpia agents were dumbfounded. In a quick flash, the Scorpia agents began reaching for their handguns strapped in their respective holsters while the two agents bolted towards the fire escape. The agents barely managed to fire at them as the door shut with a click. Alex and Kristine began running down the flight of steps leaping two or three steps at a time. The Scorpia agents already alerted their comrades of the agents escape as they ran towards the elevator. The agents in the ground floor awaited for the MI6 agents at the exit of the fire escape in the ground floor. As they reached the first floor, Alex stopped Kristine to take a moment to catch their breath. He looked at the empty corridor before running out of the fire escape and towards the elevators. He took the second elevator down towards the basement of the hotel's car park. As he entered the Aston Martin along with Kristine after throwing their luggage into the compartment, they looked around for any sign of movement. The air seemed still around them.
Alex and Kristine got into the bulletproof reinforced car and sped away towards Hotel Quirinile leaving the Scorpia agents waiting for the emergence of the two secret agents. It wasn't until five minutes later that they discovered of Alex Rider's escape. They will be severely punished by the board of directors of Scorpia but nevertheless, Alex Rider was still safe from harm's way.
In Venice, back at the Widow's Palace, the board of directors of Scorpia was having another meeting. "This Alex Rider boy…He seems very able and capable. I now know why MI6 were so keen on using him. He is an asset to the British and Americans!" stated the Australian.
"We have failed in all our attempts of stopping him. I am informed that Alan Blunt is still alive! Dimitri has failed us," Mr. Mikato exclaimed.
"Be patient, Mr. Mikato…" Dr. Three said. "It's time we unleash a weapon of our own…The British and the Americans have deployed teenagers against us. Its time to fight fire with fire. Tomorrow, we will send in Tommy…And this time, he'll make sure that they're eliminated…permanently…"
Alright, time to put things in order before the next chapter…I apologize if my writing is a little confusing to some of my readers…I just go along with the flow of my writing…Until next time, allow me to bid you…Adios, amigos!
