Alex woke up bleary eyed and slightly confused as to where he was. He sat up, the duvet falling about his waist.

"Morning,"
This was only the second time Alex had heard Kai's voice. He turned his head towards the boy sat at the desk in the corner, a steaming cup of coffee and some toast on the desk top.

"I ordered room service,"
Kai threw the phone towards him, obviously advising him to do the same. He went back to whatever he was doing on a sleek Apple Mac Notebook laptop.

"Is that yours?" Alex asked, musing over what to eat for breakfast. He had never had such accessories as top-of-the-range laptops and MP3 players etc, considering his guardian's salary. He never minded; he knew why he couldn't get them and it wasn't like many people at his local comprehensive had stuff like that either. He had a walkman, but knew how to handle an iPod because of one given to him by Smithers for a mission. But, of course, he knew that if he ever did buy himself a proper iPod, spinning the click dial once one way, and then another, it wouldn't shoot red-hot laser beams.

His stomach growled. He was starving. He felt a pang for Jack's home made sloppy scrambled egg, and bacon with toast.

"No, it's not mine. Declan had it sent here for us. It's loaded with files on Navy 66. Things like video clips and sound clips. Seems they recruit from all over the place. Anyone who has a 'certain special something' can be in Navy 66,"

"What else do they do, apart from terrorise Sir Carbon?"

"They're a supporting terrorist group for underground and mafia leaders. They're given a job, and sent off to do it. We might find the reason for their targeting Carbon goes right to the underworld,"

That was more words he had heard Kai said all of yesterday.
Alex called room service, ordered his dream breakfast, and set about getting changed. In the bathroom, it still smelt of the bubble bath from the evening before. Re-entering his room, his breakfast was spread out on a cart. He took the place, cutlery and glass of orange juice, and set it all up in the small lounge area, before tucking in.

"Marco's sent us an email,"
Alex paused, a forkful of scrambled egg to his lips.
"What does he say?"
"He's got an opportunity open for us,"

Alex lipped his dry lips. The air was extremely cold, even for a London evening. They had been told by Declan it was wise to stay in London had at first, he knew of a few recruiting bases that the Navy 66 had set up in London as being their most prominent. The champagne flute was almost frozen to Alex's fingers. He switched hands, the bubbles in the golden drink drifting up in a pleasant, unrushed manner.

The boat was moving at a remarkable speed, considering the number of the party, and all of the equipment and general bits of furniture needed to keep the party guests comfortable. Alex put his champagne flute down on a passing tray, leaving it untouched, and headed up towards the helm of the boat. The night around them was dark and very still. The only lights were the tiny fairy lights dotting the railings and small, fluttering canopy structured over the top of the boat, and the occasional drifting headlamps of the cars on the road. Other wise, the Thames was quiet. As he got closed to the front of the boat, the wind started to whump in his ears and his eyes began to water from the cold, rushing air. The sound of the boat slicing through the inky water rushed into his ears.
"And who are you?" came a clipped, nasal voice. Alex turned. Standing in the doorway that obviously went below decks, the light shining behind him, was a man in a tuxedo and holding a vodka shot glass. He glared at Alex with thin, blue eyes, "This is a private party," he snapped.
"I know," Alex said, "I was invited,"
"Let me see your invitation,"

Alex paused, then dug it out of his pocket. The man snatched it from him. His hands were greasy with sweat. His trousers were too long for him and his shirt was too tight at the neck.

Bedroom Dancing by Day One started up, getting the dancing spirit into the crowd. Alex tried to make out more of the man's features but the light was too dim.
"Fine," the man said, thrusting the invitation back at Alex, before turning to go down below decks.
"That's OK," Alex said, after him, smoothly returning the invitation to his pocket. He glanced out onto the river. Somewhere, on a small barge floating inconspicuously, were Kai and Marco. Kai had a better grasp of the technology on the tiny barge, almost better than Marco, so Alex had been chosen to go aboard The Sprite. And, as Kai had said: "You've got better people skills than me. I have the social abilities of a whelk,"

Alex couldn't argue after that point had been made so decisively and so had consented to being sent aboard The Sprite.

Day One smoothed itself across the airwaves and Alex took a moment to collect himself before slipping back into the crowd.

He stepped back towards the middle of the large, wide boat, towards the much older guests. The party was being hosted by Dante Angelo Ignacio, a supposedly gluttonous, flamboyant member of Navy 66, who, despite throwing his money and weight around rather obviously, was kept in the group because of the amazing talent and money he poured into Navy 66. Or so the file Declan sent them said. Alex was on board to confirm this, and find out how he and Kai could get recruited.

How Marco had got the invitation, Alex hadn't found out, but as he milled amongst the crowd he realised a lot of invitations must have been handed out. Once again, he was surprised the boat was moving so fast.

"You must be Alex!" Alex turned sharply, and was greeted by a pudgy hand being extended in greeting. A beaming face peeped over the top of the hand, smiling jovially.
"Yes, I am,"

"I am Allan Milling. Dante's old Uncle. I was looking at the invitation list and I saw an Alex Fisher and I thought to myself I must come and find you old chap, because I've met everyone on this boat apart from yourself,"
A gold wedding ring flashed in the beam of a fairy light. The tuxedo over his rounded body looked incredibly inexpensive. Maybe little old Uncle helped Dante along the way with keeping up Navy 66's funding?

"So young man, how do you know my nephew?"
Alex spoke the lines he had rehearsed, "I'm replacing my own Uncle. He was supposed to come here, he said he was an old friend of some of Mr Ignacio's family, but he fell ill so he asked if I wanted to go in his place,"
Alan Milling's smile near burst his face, "Well lets make you at home then. Come, I'll show you to the food,"

Alex followed, looking about the boat's deck for the man he really needed to investigate.

"I told my nephew those canapés will be untouched," Alan said, shaking his head, pointing the plate where only two canapés had been eaten. Alex spied a small group in the corner at the back of the deck, huddled around a long, tall man with tanned skin like Marco. Gold jewellery flashed about his person. Ignacio?
Alan and Alex talked pleasantly for a while. Being the oldest and the youngest on the boat ostracised them from the 20-or-so year old men and women who moved artfully between and around each other with their champagne flutes, and who had a dancing partner in everyone. The man in the middle of the crowd said something and his entourage laughed loudly. Yep, that was probably Ignacio. His entourage were obviously eager to please him.

On the raft bobbing about on the surface of the murky, terrifyingly deep and dark River Thames, Kai was huddled up in his parka. He blew on his hands to try and stir some warmth into his frozen digits. In front of him was a digital picture of Ignacio, and in his ear he was listening to the conversation going on between Alex and Allan. The boredom had begun to get to Kai, particularly as the drizzle was beginning to drift under the camouflage canopy they had erected in the middle of the raft to cover the computers and keep themselves dry. He felt wet to the bone, his hair sticking uncomfortably to his face in separated bangs. Marco was sat shivering behind him, watching the cameras that had been positioned about London to catch the boat and its occupants. They had only been on the boat forty five minutes, but already Kai was wondering if Marco wouldn't mind using the highly sophisticated Identi-Kit to paste random mouths and noses all over the picture of Ignacio on his surveillance computer. Things had been quiet for a long time, and Kai had had to force himself to listen to the conversation being directed into his ear, despite a huge craving to curl up and sleek, snuggled up in his coat. But things began to pick up at the words:

Flowing conversation with Allan was beginning to get a little more sporadic, Alex realised, as the champagne flutes were emptied again and again courtesy of the man in front of him.

"Well, my nephew has had little time for me over the years," Allan said, almost sadly, taking another champagne flute, "Except for my money, of course. Thanks to his new group of his,"
"Group?"

In the raft, Kai perked up a little.

"Oh yes, some political movement for the rich and famous, I suppose. Idiocy, if you ask me, but you know," he sighed. His face had gone very pink, "You live and learn don't you?"
Alex wasn't sure that last comment was related to anything they had been speaking about.

"You see," Allan laughed, a little too lightly, "I don't even know the thing I'm putting money in to,"
"Why do you put it in then?"

"He's my nephew! Flesh and blood! Our family is very strong Alex, we believe greatly in a proud in your heritage and family,"

"Yes," Alex said simply. He glanced over Allan's shoulder, hoping to try and gauge where they were on the Thames, but something else caught his eye. Reappearing from the doorway to the space below, was the man who had accosted Alex about his ticket. He was still holding his vodka glass, only know it was full. He turned towards the party, striding with huge gaping paces, and walked right up to Ignacio. The circle was flung open as the man strode in and Ignacio, obviously just as cosy to the drink as his Uncle, roared a hello, beckoning his 'true right hand man' to sit against the railings next to him. The circle closed. But Alex was going to have to get in there to get Ignacio to notice him. He needed to find out how good a chance he and Kai had of getting into Navy 66 Recruitment. And finding anything else about the mysterious group would be a plus too.

Alex excused himself to Allan and headed on up to the front of the boat once again, the sounds of Ignacio and Allan, still talking, falling behind him. The boat splashed a fine film of river water onto his face. On the water surrounding him Kai and Marco bobbed tiredly. Kai stretched his legs and arched his back, hearing two vertebrae click.
"Ouch," Marco said, staring at him, "They sounded like gunshots. Are you alright?"
"Fine,"
"How did they get like that?"
"Biking accident,"
"You sound as reckless as young Rider! The pair of you should make a good team," Marco commented. He was wearing a Manchester United football shirt tonight, and a pair of expensive Italian sneakers, "And why did Declan obsess over you breaking something to his secretary?"

Kai smirked, not turning around from his post, "No reason,"

"Oh. But, Declan sounded worried,"
"Declan doesn't like me. He calls me a 'live wire', whatever that means. Might have been my psych report. I think it gave him the impression I'm a little unhinged,"

The pause after that was a little heavy. Then Marco smiled his piano-key white, toothy smile.
"Well you have to be pretty mad to be in this business. I'm only a field operator, and driver, and I sometimes feel I'm in too dangerously deep,"
Kai only had one camera to study, as Marco already had eight, and he squinted at it as it zoomed in on the two men against the boat railings. Ignacio, and a man who had a neck like a wrung chicken.

"Who's that?"
"Who?"
Kai pointed to the man on Ignacio's right. Marco looked over his shoulder at the night vision view.

"I will check,"
He clacked away at the computer, then sent the picture through to Kai, who brought it up next to Ignacio.

"Nice name," Kai muttered under his breath.
"Yes. Hal Dollop. I've only got a name. Nothing more. I'll try and get it more as soon as possible,"
Kai watched the camera as a familiar figure appeared at the fringe of Ignacio's adoring entourage, all bubbling as the Italian told another joke.

"Alex is making his move," Marco's tone was low and hushed.
The boat swerved to one side as a wave sloshed up the Thames. Kai gripped onto the side with his cold fingers, eyes trained unmoving to the screen. Alex's voice flooded into his ear.

"Alex. I'm Alex Fisher,"
"He does have an invitation Ignacio although I don't know why," a nasal voice said childishly.

Alex decided to ignore the odd man's comment and waited patiently for Ignacio's response. The group had broken up slightly, and begun to form their own conversation.
"Oh, you must be that bore of my uncle's nephew," Ignacio said, looking Alex up and down, "Well I'm not sure how I feel about having children onboard my boat, can you swim?"

The few that had heard the 'joke' laughed and Ignacio grinned like a sunbeam. He raised his glass to Alex.

"Only joking kiddo. I like kids. Good thing to have around you,"
He turned to the man who had worried Alex for a ticket and said, jerking his head to Alex, "What do you think, hey? He's young, looks the sort. Athletic and all that. What do you think hey Hal?"
The other pursed his lips and said, "I don't think we should be talking about that, Ignacio…"
"Oh why not!" Ignacio beamed, "It's a fine evening, a fine party. We're drinking the finest champagne for miles, eating the finest food in London. And do you know what the air smells of! Success!"
In the boat, Kai murmured, "Prat!"
"Everyone drink up!" Ignacio cried, throwing himself away from the railings and closer to the middle of the boat with his arm in the air, holding aloft his champagne glass. Ignacio sat back down again, smiling a dozy grin that confirmed he was drunk, "Hal, take down this boy's details. Boy….what's your name again?"
"Alex Fisher,"

"That's it! Take down his details. Alex Fission, we want you at Recruitment. Next Thursday, come along!"

"Great! Recruitment for what?" Alex asked, injecting eagerness into his voice. Ignacio tapped his nose. Then he lurched off down the boat, trying to dance with every girl he passed.

'Hal', angrily yanked a pad of paper out of his trouser pocket and scrawled something down impatiently on it, "Here," he hissed, handing the piece of paper to Alex, "And don't be late. Say Hal Dollop gave permission, if they ask,"
"Dollop?"
"Yes, Dollop," he said, snappishly, "And don't be late,"

Oh Alex wouldn't be late. He grinned and slid the piece of paper into his pocket.

"Ok, so this 'group' of his is definitely Navy 66. Confirmed. And you got an invitation to the recruitment centre!" Marco said, "Well done Alex!"
They were stretched out on their beds in their hotel room enjoying a late dinner. It was midnight, and they had only been back twenty minutes. Alex had stripped himself of his formal attire and was clad in his own clothes once again. It felt a lot better.

"Anyway, I will leave you two boys alone. I am sorry about your room Kai,"

He left, the door clicking shut behind him. The hotel had broken their promise, Kai's room wasn't ready for the next day. The bubble bath had destroyed the sensitive carpet, leaving huge white streaks clinging firmly to the carpet threads. So the whole room had to be gutted to rip the carpet up and replace a new one. So, the two would be sharing again for a while.

Alex finished off his meal and set down the plates, unfurling his legs and feeling the muscles stretch deliciously.
"What was it like on that raft?"

"Small. Cold," Kai said, in a non-committal sort of way.

Alex looked out of the window, deciding Kai wasn't the best person to have a conversation with. Well, at least not a chatty one. He did wander about Kai, about his history with his organisation and his past. Maybe that should be saved for another time. As things were going, they had three days until they really needed to be up for action again. He would use those two days, he decided.

"I found out about the recruitment programme. Towards the end of the programme, they have-"
"Injections to go abroad," Kai cut in, nodding slowly, "Yeah,"

He didn't sound wholly enthusiastic about that party.
"Can I take it you don't like needles?"
"A mad doctor and needles went awry very close to me one time," Kai said, a slightly pained expression on his face, "During a mission. Won't tell you the details, but now needles don't seem so harmless to me. Well, it's the people that wield them that give me the chills,"
"They'll be fine. You can't be afraid of a few little pricks,"
"You called the men of the medical profession that, not me,"

Kai yanked off his top. He let it drop to the floor, and as he passed the mirror to shut off the taps, he realised the marks of his last mission were still glaringly obvious. He winced. And still flaring. He got into the water, just wanting to be surrounded by heat after those hours clinging to a damp, cold dingy in the middle of an expansive mass of filthy water. It hadn't been his idea of a picnic. He submerged completely under the water, his dark hair waving like tendrils in the slightly blue water. He re-emerged, a sudden blinding headache hitting his temples. He frowned, rubbing his forehead. That hurt. He hoped Alex had some painkillers somewhere because he wasn't going to sleep with a headache like that.