Authors Note
Okay so I'm not even going to go into all the reasons I haven't updated. Let's just phrase it like this: laptop died, hard drive (the place that stores all the information) has to be replaced and horseback riding accident, I hurt my neck. But, Ark Angel just came out in the U.S (no laughing from people who've had it for a year, please) and I'm stuck in my mom's office for a few hours before I can go to Barnes and Noble to get it so I've decided to finally sit down and write this chapter. Oh and I completely spaced on the fact that Ian hated to be called uncle so… I'll try to do it right now. I hope you like it! Review! –Steph
Note: I'm geographically challenged. I don't know what seasons are what months in England so I'm going to just assume that they are the same as in the United Stated. Sorry if I'm wrong, which, knowing me, I probably am.
Disclaimer: Everything recognizable belongs to Anthony Horowitz.
Dirty Little Secret
Last Time
Blunt's voice cut across my mind and it was the only thing I could think about as he frantically yelled into my head. "Get out of there!" he roared. "There are more guards coming down now! Take the right hallway!"
We sprinted down the corridor and just as we whipped around the turn at the end of it I heard the noise of guns being fired into the room we had just recently vacated.
Wolf suddenly stopped his running and I slammed against his back. I groaned again as my arm was jarred. When I looked up to see why we had stopped I saw that we were faced by a group of three guards. All of them had big military guns pointed at us.
Chapter 16
Wolf shouldered his big gun and was followed by dad and Ian. The rest followed their example hesitantly.
The guard standing in the middle smirked at us. "Put the guns down," he ordered calmly. "There's nowhere you can go now."
I was starting to see doubles. Were there six guards? Or was it just three? I half lifted my gun, it was the best I could do in my current state. Why was it always me that got hurt? Or captured? I really need to have a nice little chat with whomever's in charge up there; this just isn't working out for me.
"Don't move," Blunt's voice said quietly into my ear. "Alex, I want you to fall over. Pretend you've passed out," Blunt told me. Well, that I could do, I already felt close to unconsciousness. But, all the same I remained standing. "For God sakes," Blunt yelled frantically, "Just do it, Alex!"
I braced myself, making sure I wouldn't land on my arm, and fell down in my best impression of a faint. Maybe it would have worked better if I'd been living a few hundred years ago and wearing one of those corset things but hey, whatever, I did my best. The gun I had been holding clattered to the ground right next to me, almost hitting my face. I shut my eyes, just to give the impression that I was really out and slowed my breathing.
"What the hell," one of the guard's said with what I presume was a glance in my direction. "The boy just fainted," gee, how bout we call this guard, 'Captain Obvious'. Well, thanks for that Captain Obvious, as if it wasn't already clear.
"Good, good," Blunt muttered in my head. "Now, Wolf, you keep their attention directed on you and the others. Alex, do you have your gun by you?" Erm, was I supposed to answer that? "Groan if the answer is 'yes'," Blunt quickly added.
I groaned. Man, I thought I was spy, not one of those fainting ladies from the 1800's.
"Alex, listen closely, please, I don't want to have to repeat myself. Your task here is very important. It's completion in vital if you want to survive. The guards have been held up in the chamber down the corridor and don't seem likely to move anytime soon, the guards in front of you don't have any communication devises on their person so you have a few minutes. Alex, shift your gun slightly so you can aim it and shoot. Once you're ready I want you to aim at the guards, in what ever order you please. Aim for the head, they're wearing bulletproof vests and you only have one shot for each of them," Blunt's voice died out.
I took a deep breath, I could do this. Granted, killing people wasn't on the top of my to-do list but it was for my family's safety. I could do it.
I opened my eyes a crack cautiously. I was in good position, that much relived me. Wolf was standing by my feet and I was lying horizontally on the ground so I'd have an easier time of aiming. The gun was lying next to me so I'd have to lift it slightly, that would create some problems. The guards, I noticed with satisfaction, were not looking at me but at Wolf and the others. The guards were trying to get them to put the guns down and were getting irritated. They advanced slowly forwards. I had to work fast, before one of the guards let loose and started firing.
I quickly, stealthily, lifted the gun off of the ground oh so slightly and angled it so that the muzzle was facing away from my body. I lifted the back of it up and placed it across my neck. I moved one hand out from under me and placed my pointer finger on the trigger. I aimed the gun at the center of the guard's forehead, opting to start with one farthest away.
So calmly I could discuss killing three people just like that.
"Good God…" Blunt's voice began but than stopped again, abruptly. "Alex, what are you waiting for? They're coming!"
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Wolf shoulder his gun higher, prepared to take action himself on the event that I failed to do so.
Wolf's body tensed and a finger curled around the trigger. He made a very subtle motion witch that I'm sure, actually that I know, the guards would not have caught. He tilted his head in my direction the slightest bit, telling me to hurry up and that he would help.
I heard the pounding of heavy, boot clad feet echoing down the hall that we had just some from.
A sneer twisted one of the guards, the one that I was aiming at, mouth upward in an ugly, satisfied grin. "Put the weapons down," he repeated himself, this time with more self-assurance than before. His less sensitive ears caught the sound that was growing ever closer. "You're done for now, just put the gu…" he never got to finish his last thought, the last one he would ever have… except possibly… never mind, I doubt much of anything went through his mind in the first place.
He stood in shock for a moment as the loud bang issued around the hall we were standing in. He never seemed to realize that it had hit him until the hole in his forehead started dripping blood down his face. He promptly fell backwards and lay still, never to move again.
The other two guards 'followed' the first in a similar manner.
I sprang to my feet in a ridiculously fast manner. Adrenaline was pulsing through my body and I temporarily forgot about the pain that was still shooting around my shoulder and arm, stronger than ever. I took advantage of the fact that I didn't feel as though I was going to faint at any second as we ran down the remainder of the hallway, leaving the guards bodies behind and forgotten, for the time being.
Somehow I managed to remain next to Wolf the whole time as we pounded down the hall, Blunt's requests for one of us to stay at the back and one in the front momentarily forgotten. The others were right behind us, though, and according to Blunt's ever present voice in my ear the guards had yet to see us. Well, the more time we had the better.
We came to a part in the hallway that looked strangely like an intersection. The hall we were on continued forwards but there were halls branching off to the left and to the right too.
Before Wolf or I could ask Blunt which way we were to go Blunt directed us. "Go down the left hall! Guards are coming from behind you and to the right; there aren't any to the left. GO!" we started running again as Blunt continued with his instructions. "All the guards are inside the building, looking for you," Blunt informed us. "Alex, Wolf, you need to get outside and away, that's the only option you have. Coming up on your right side is a small door; look carefully for it for it is not easily found. The door will take you outside to where they have their cars stored. I'll leave it to you to decide how you're going to divide yourself in the cars, I recommend taking two, it's not ideal but one car should lead them off. We have two units waiting for you a few miles off of the compound, as assumed the grounds are very well monitored and we could not get within a six mile radius of the place without being seen." Blunt paused for a moment. "Good luck," he added in a somewhat brusque manner. The earpiece clicked off and we were alone.
"I found it!" Wolf yelled, a few yards away from me. He was running his hands over the wall and I wasn't able to see the door until I was standing directly in front of it and even then I could only just see the faint outline of the cracks in the wall. Wolf ran his hand down the left side of the door, the side a handle would most likely be on. He stopped his hands and tapped a small portion of the door that, upon closer inspection, was raised the smallest amount from the rest of the door. There was no handle to open the door with, just a key hole.
Wolf pulled something out of his pocket at the dim light from the light bulb hanging above our heads glinted off of the material. I grinned giddily. MI6 sure was good for something. I'd have to remember to thank Smither's or whoever had designed those key things later on.
Wolf paused just as the tip of the key to be was in the slot. I groaned in frustration, I've been here for God only knows how long and freedom is right outside the door (quite literally). Why were we still here? "What are we going to do?" Wolf asked. Oh right, that.
"I don't know," I sighed in impatience. I shifted through various scenarios in my head hurriedly. Then I knew what I had to do. "Give me one of those keys," I requested.
Wolf looked at me questioningly and raised an eyebrow in my direction. "Why?" he asked simply.
"You take everyone else in one car and I'll go in another," I made my plan known.
"And I should let you drive why...?" Wolf asked me slowly looking genuinely intrigues as to what my answer would be.
I scowled. "Look we don't have much time," I said hurriedly. "Just give me one. You heard Blunt, MI6 is only a couple miles off. You take them to MI6. I'll…" I trailed off. I'm pretty sure that it was fairly obvious what I was going to do.
Wolf's eye's widened momentarily. "No way," he said firmly after a minute. I opened my mouth to say something but Wolf just shook his head firmly. "No," he repeated. "I'm not leaving you to lead off Scorpia! Look at you!" he gestured to me with a hand. "You've been shot. SHOT, Alex. Does that mean anything to you? In this situation I am by far the more able bodied."
My eyes narrowed angrily. "I've had more to do with Scorpia in a year than you have your whole life, probably. I'm just going to lead them off until we're sure that MI6 can attack without them knowing." I grinned impishly as my own ulterior motive began forming in my head. Sure, I would lead them off… but I could still have my own fun with them. They've had their 'fun' with me and I think I'm way past due for my turn.
Wolf eyed me critically. I was sure he could sense that something else was going on in my head besides what I was letting on. "Fine," he said. He handed me one of the keys and I clutched it in satisfaction.
"Can we go now?" a small voice requested from behind our backs. I glanced back and saw a very pale Lilly clutching her father's arm and bouncing on her heels. The huge black military gun she was holding seemed big and bulky against her small, frail body. She didn't seem ten, which is, I think, what a recall Mrs. Jones telling me about them. She said that they had been kidnapped ten years ago so I would have been four at the time… yeah. I think she's ten.
In fact, they all looked a bit pale. I hadn't noticed before because of the 24/7 lack of light in the cells. But now I could see them all clearer. They were pale and skinny, too skinny, and their clothes were dirty and tattered and hung loosely around there bodies. The hair was matted and greasy and the eyes sunken.
I wonder if any of them have been out in the sun since they've been here. I doubt it. "Close your eyes when we go outside," I warned them. Ten plus years without being outside or seeing the sun would not be pleasant.
Wolf finally inserted the 'key' into the lock and, after waiting a several seconds for it to take its shape, he turned it and we were rewarded with the satisfying click of the lock opening. This was too easy, so far. No sense in jinxing us all.
As soon as the door was open I slipped out into the bright light, motioning with my palm held up towards the others that they should wait. As I stepped fully outside the cold, almost icy wind hit my exposed chest like punch. I shivered involuntarily and the fresh wound on my shoulder stung. The sky was bright with just a few fluffy clouds and the sun provided a bit of warmth. Off to the west there were big, dark, threatening clouds building. I'd assume it was around March.
I crept along the side of the huge, stone building. I peered around the corner, fully prepared to find a couple guards but surprisingly, or not as you may look at it, there wasn't anyone there. There was, however, something much, much better. It was just about Heaven. Maybe I actually was dead. There were cars, lots and lots of cars of all different sizes and kinds. Rolls-Royce, BMW, Mercedes, GMC, Hummer, Chevrolette, Jeep, Ford and some models I didn't even recognize. I think there was a Ferrari and a Corvette sitting on the edge of the parking 'area'. Of course they were all black with a deep red strip along the side and I noticed that when the sun hit the cars just right the silhouette of a scorpion shown on the side for and instant… and than it was gone. You only saw it for so brief of an instant that most people would just dismiss it for what it really was… a trick of the light.
I completed my job and saw that there were no guards around; Blunt had already confirmed that much.
Soon, Wolf and the others were standing by my side too.
"We have to go, now," Wolf said urgently.
I made to walk towards the black Hummer H3 that had caught my eye but Wolf grabbed my arm only to quickly let go when I sent him a meaningful glance. Wolf looked down and realized that he had grabbed my injured arm. "Don't do anything stupid," Wolf warned me.
I rolled my eyes. "I won't," I promised. Wolf didn't seem to believe me and made no effort to conceal that fact. "I'm just going to lead them off," I reminded him.
"Nothing's ever that simple with you, Cub," Wolf said. "The only thing you have to do is get anyone that may follow us away from us and MI6," he told me again.
"I know," I said. "That's what I'm going to do." I paused; Wolf was looking at me doubtfully. "What?"
"Just do me one favor," Wolf requested. "Try not to pass out while you're driving," he finished with a grin.
"Ha ha ha," I said dryly, "You're just so funny." And with that, I sprinted over towards the Hummer; I've always wanted to drive one of these. I tried to slide the strip into the keyhole easily but I ended up jamming it in. After what seemed like an eternity I was finally in the dark leather seat of the vehicle. I slipped the key into the ignition and turned it. The lights on the dashboard flared up and the comforting rumble of the engine made itself known.
I looked around to see where the others were. For some reason I was beginning to feel increasingly anxious. Feeling semi paranoid I looked over my shoulder and out the rear window of the truck. To my horror, there was a pack of about ten guards running towards us with guns.
I snapped my head back around and quickly found the button that lowered my window. "GO!" I yelled to Wolf who was just helping the others into Hummer that was identical to mine. Wolf looked up and immediately noticed the approaching guards. He slammed the door shut and jumped over the black hood of the car and into the driver's seat.
I jammed my foot over the gas pedal until it wouldn't go down any farther. The Hummer lurched forwards and I had the thought that I should put on my seatbelt but I wasn't in the position to do so. Already, the speedometer was flying upwards and I didn't want to risk becoming a Hummer pretzel. I speed off down the only road I could find and risked a quick glance in the rearview mirror. Wolf was right behind me, tailgating, almost. He signaled to me to go faster and I immediately understood that the guards were following.
They had the open advantage. They knew the complex and had more people.
But I wouldn't let that stop me. I pressed my foot down harder and as if to grant me pity the Hummer sped up more.
I sped off down the dusty track that served as a road. My heart sank; I was fast approaching a wall of some kind. I'd gone the wrong way. But again fate seemed to be on my side today as I noticed that the wall was only a fence of chain linked metal. At my speed I could get through it, no problem.
The fence loomed closer. The metal glistened in the bright sunlight; it seemed to be challenging me. I wouldn't let it win. I'd beaten too many, I'd survived a bullet to my chest, I was hard to kill and a little fence wasn't going to do me in. Despite the fact that the fence was metal I was in a Hummer. Suddenly I was glad I had passed up the Aston Martin that had seen sitting invitingly in the corner. I had no doubt that my little military tank could blast threw the fence.
Suddenly, there was a sharp snapping sound and the Hummer bounced around on its wheels. I gripped the steering wheel tighter and then the fence was gone. I floored it again and was speeding off, over a large grass field.
Wolf was still right behind me and in the distance I could see several more cars rapidly gaining ground. I pushed the Hummer faster and we were speeding off over the grassy countryside. It would be nice if I knew where we were.
Scorpia was getting ever closer.
"TURN LEFT AT THE FORK!" Blunt's voice roared into my ear. I was dazed for a moment but quickly shook it off.
We were approaching a road that I saw ran horizontally across the grass, which must be what Blunt was referring too. So that would mean that there would be the main road near by.
I blasted by the road without a second thought. The squeal of tires behind me and a glance in the rearview mirror told me that Wolf had taken the Hummer where Blunt had requested. Two Scorpia cars followed me, hot in pursuit, and two followed Wolf, almost colliding at their sharp turn.
"What the hell are you doing, Alex?" Mr. Blunt's voice returned.
I was silent as I focused all my concentration and getting away from an area that looked suspiciously like a marsh, there would be no sense in getting the car stuck. I sped up as I saw the main road ahead of me. "What I have to," I replied grimly and a series of bullet shots rang out side of my window.
"Alex," Blunt began, fighting to keep his composure, "You're job is done. All you're supposed to do now is lead them to us."
"Where does this road go anyway?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Alex," Blunt repeated my name. "Get off of that road, do you hear me? Get off of it!"
"Why?"
"Alex, that road leads right to…" then all I got in my ear was static.
"Hello? Mr. Blunt?" I asked warily and than waited for a moment but I heard nothing more from Blunt. Well there wasn't anything I could do now, other then grit my teeth and do what I had to do. That's exactly what I did.
I sped down the road, the speedometer set around 120 mph. the Scorpia cars were close behind and every few minutes a new volley of bullets spraying from the machine guns they had held out of the windows. Most of them just bounced off of the back of the vehicle but one volley shot threw the glass of the rearview mirror. They plummeted through the interior and out of the windshield, leaving small holes in their wake. I almost swerved off the road as I jerked the steering wheel to the left.
The speedometer continued to crawl upwards recklessly.
I was so focused on staying on the road and the assassins behind me that I didn't even notice when the scenery changed. But when it did I slammed on the brakes. The tires of my Hummer protested wildly against the sudden restraint but screeched to a stop nonetheless. The two cars behind me were startled at my sudden stop and were forced to swerve to the sides to avoid a collision. I briefly thought about turning and going back the way I'd come but that would have been like driving to my own death.
Scorpia pulled up onto either side of my car and all I could see was the angry, black muzzles of four guns pointed in my direction.
I stepped fiercely on the gas pedal and shot forwards once more. I risked a glance behind my shoulder and saw that the two black cars were once again close on my tail.
I gritted my teeth. I suddenly felt weary and my shoulder had started burning and throbbing again. But through everything, the only thing I could think about was where I was headed.
I was speeding along streets and highways, swerving around pedestrian cars like a drunk. I flew past the exit after exit. Not keen to get caught n the traffic jam ahead I swerved across four lanes of traffic and went down the off ramp. I didn't need to see the location sign to know where I was going. I was headed straight towards my school and all I could hope for was that everyone was on holiday.
Dirty Little Secret
Brookland Prep
"All right, everyone!" the gym teacher clapped his hands together to gather his students attention. When that didn't work he gave his whistle a short, sharp, loud blast. Everyone quieted down and turned towards him. "Now," he began once he was sure he had everyone's attention, "I want you to split into two equal teams," he instructed his students. "Alright people!" he called when no one moved. "Let's get this game of soccer started!"
"But its cold!" one of the girls grumbled and rubbed her arms.
"Let's go, Blake!" the teacher yelled over to his student and her friends. "You're the soccer star here!"
"Yeah, but we don't have to play when it's bloody freezing out," she mumbled in reply.
Blake didn't move an inch. She stayed where she was with her six best friends, Dylan, Riley, Ty, Ky, Ben and Tom. Some of the other students gathered around them. The two teams were made.
The teacher blew his whistle again and the two teams walked to the center of the field. Blake, Dylan, Riley, Ty, Ky, Ben and Tom remained on the field while the rest of their team sat by the sidelines to wait for one of the starters to need a substitute. Blake took her position at right-wing, Tom was left-wing, Ty and Ky took their positions at midfield, Riley and Ben took defense and Dylan went to her position as goalie.
The other team was all positioned too. The center of the other team picked up the ball and placed it in the middle of the center circle. The center stood up and looked around.
"Uh," Eric, the center, began. "Where's your center?" he asked Blake and Tom questioningly.
Blake and Tom both looked towards the empty space in the middle of them. Then they looked at each other. Blake sighed and pulled the sleeves of her sweatshirt down over her hands. Tom looked up at the bright, almost cloudless sky. Eric shifted uncomfortably in front of them, he was smart, he could gather what was up.
"Mike," Tom called over to the sidelines. A dark haired, slim and muscular boy looked up. "Come play center," Tom finished.
Twenty minutes later
"Alright, guys! Take a break!" the teacher called to his students. The soccer ball was left, forgotten, in the middle of the field as the students walked off of it.
Blake, Ty, Ky, Tom, Riley, Ben and Dylan sat in the grass by the side of the bleachers. They were all silent for several minutes.
"This sucks," Blake finally said. Everyone just nodded in response, they all understood what she was implying and they didn't know what could be said to that.
Blake pulled some of the grass out of the ground and sifted it through her fingers.
Ever since Alex Rider had been reveled for what he truly was around a month and a half ago everything had been different. And then they saw that video of their friend being tortured. Now they didn't know if he was even alive though, they assumed he was dead. It was the seemingly logical explanation.
"Do you thin…" Blake began hesitantly but was cut off by the deafening screech of tires. She glanced around quickly and noticed two things. 1. There was a person running across the soccer field they had recently vacated, and 2. The was a black Hummer hurtling down the street at a ridiculously high speed, followed closely by two other vehicles.
Dirty Little Secret
Mystery/Jenkins's POV
"Miss Gregory! Miss Sheppard! Quiet down back there!" I yelled to the back of the room where two girls were 'secretly' talking. Secretly my ass. They couldn't be more obvious if they had a big, flashing neon light over their heads.
I had decided to show my classes a video on World War Two today. I swear, if I have to spend one more day listening to their idiotic voices I'm going to… give them pretzels and candy. With explosives.
I can't think of a more tedious way to spend my days. Locked up in a stuffy classroom with children and grading papers and trying to get simple concepts and dates through their thick heads. I did not spend five years of torturous training for this.
The video was just so that I could sit at my desk and devise more ways to torture that fucking Rider boy. Revenge was sweet.
I carelessly flicked through another paper. 'D' I wrote on the top in my customary teachers red pen. Grinning I picked up another test to grade. Failing the idiots served to be quite fun, quite fun indeed.
Just then, my cell phone let out a shrill ring. aware of all the little, curious eyes on me I took my cell phone out of my pocket and a glance at the caller ID told me who it was. Scorpia or Jane, as the caller ID came up.
"Hello, honey," I greeted, trying very hard to sound bright and cheery.
There was an irritated growl on the other line.
"I'm in the middle of class right now, dear," I added.
"Jenkins," the voice snarled at me. "Get your ass outside, immediately."
"Excuse me?"
"The boys escaped," the voice spat angrily. "And he took the others with him."
I immediately jumped up out of my chair, sending it flying backwards in my haste. I let out a string of angry curses.
"We've got people on the boy now with more on the way," he informed me. "He's headed right towards you in a black Hummer."
"I've got him," I replied.
"Good," was all the voice said before the line clicked dead.
I shoved my phone back into my pocket and stepped towards the closet door that was on the wall by my desk. I opened it and quickly retrieved the gun that was resting casually against the back wall. I flung the jackets that had been shielding it from view away. I shouldered the strap of the lethal weapon and turned away.
"He's got a gun!"
"Mr. Jenkins has a GUN!"
"Oh my God! He's got a huge gun!"
Were just some of the comments that reached my ears.
"Don't any of you move," I snarled at the wide eyed and fearful students before I stalked out of the door and sown the halls.
My journey was remarkably uneventful. No teachers or students stood in my way as I slipped unnoticed out of the back exit. I began running across the sports fields, gun clasped in my hands. There was a gym class there. They were sitting around and talking in their little groups or cliques or whatever they were called. We didn't have friends when I was in school. We had pods, units, sectors, teams but never 'friends'. We didn't have teachers we had sergeants. We didn't sit around and talk idly, we worked. Well if you wanted to eat or sleep indoors you worked.
That Blake girl's noticed me now. She's one of Rider's friends.
Then I saw the black Hummer screech around the corner. Perfect.
I ran a little faster and reached a clear area a few yards in front of the Hummer.
Rider was no sissy; and as much as is pained me to say, I'd give him that much. He was going well over 110 mph. The window kept his form tinted so he was not visible to the students watching the unfolding scene.
I knelt down on one knee and positioned the gun.
Rider's eyes widened as he saw me crouched before him with the gun. I smirked and released the guns safety. My finger slipped around the trigger.
Rider's face became cold and emotionless, his eyes held just a tinge of determination. I'd rejoice when the day came that they would no longer do that. That day was today. Rider's time was finally up.
My finger tightened around the trigger marginally. Then the single bullet shot rang clear across the schoolyard.
a/n: I never thought I'd finish! Well it certainly isn't my best but it's the best I can do for now. I will update sooner, next week probably, and it will better and longer. Sorry for any mistakes but I have to go practice my piccolo for a concert next week. Review! -Steph
