Chapter 37: Resolution

Sometime later, Cossack watched the building go up in flames. As the teams exited the building, the fire seemed to flare up. The vans were at least a block away, but that was not enough to disguise the noise of the final explosion that would level the building and perhaps burn down the block. SCORPIA didn't care about collateral damage. He didn't either. Technically, the entirety of the mission was collateral damage. Yassen was almost certain the Triads had nothing to do with Howell's death. It was too clean and it left too many factions agendas satisfied. Besides, they wouldn't have been stealthy enough to get past Howell's security without being caught on some sort of street camera. The entire thing was far too neat. There were a lot of people who had a reason to see the man dead. The Australians, rivals within SCORPIA, and Ian Rider would all have a reason to execute the man. Alex had known ASH was a traitor. Yassen had dropped enough anvil-sized hints. The problem was that Alex had been chopping up snakes with Nile at the time of the man's murder. Ian Rider and John Crawley, then. Alex had figured out a way to convince them it was Howell. They had investigated and found evidence to agree with Alex - the evidence in the man's house. Then, in their usual rage at the inefficiency of intelligence agencies, they had conspired to murder the man and pin it on the Triads - perhaps using Alex to find a way past the double agent's security. Crawley and Ian Rider would consider the resulting execution of the Triads and collapsed negotiations as a bonus. Ian Rider, however noble and sainted he liked to pretend he was, was really no better than the people he fought. He'd allowed for the deaths of tens and perhaps hundreds of Triads for his own revenge. Yassen would have snorted at the irony if he wasn't furious at the man for starting a firefight and not sending Alex home. If you were going to stir the shit up, you send the kids home. The fucking hypocrite had probably led his own squad while pretending to be as clueless as everybody else about Howell's death. Cossack would have been impressed at the man's guile and sheer ruthlessness under different circumstances. Then again, it was Ian Rider's parenting skills he doubted, not the man's acting abilities.

Ian Rider got back to a base in complete chaos. "What the hell is going on? Why aren't we prepping for the second wave?"

Brooke came in looking harried. "The SCORPIA motherfuckers got to the other base before we did. The burned the whole fucking block down and killed twenty-two civilians while they were at it. The fucking bastards."

Ian felt his mouth drop open and tried not to feel too guilty about being relieved he wouldn't have to kill more people. "What the fuck? I thought with Howell gone, you didn't have any more possible leaks."

Brooke looked about as furious as he ever got. "Apparently not."

The man was still fuming as Ian left the room. He supposed he would be pissed if he was Brooke, too. At the moment, he was glad he could return to the family drama instead of the intelligence agency drama. It usually didn't result in dead people, at the very least. He sighed as he pulled the gear off and dropped it off at the place he was told to. Ian needed a nap. A very long nap. Then, he would see Alex. He got to the hotel with Alex in bed, surprisingly. Crawley was hovering and looking vaguely guilty. "Not having regrets now, are you John?"

Crawley looked even guiltier if that was possible. "It's not that."

Ian sighed. "You didn't cheat on me, did you?"

Crawley snorted. Please, Ian was the attractive one here. "As if I ever would."

Ian stretched out in the chair he was occupying and resisted a smirk as he felt Crawley's eyes on him. "Good, now why are you hovering guiltily?"

Crawley fidgeted. "Come on, John. Adults communicate in relationships."

Crawley rubbed at his forehead awkwardly. "Well, er...meandminifollowedyouaroundforaday."

Ian mentally congratulated Alex for getting Crawley suckered into using his skills for non-official purposes. "Again and slower."

Crawley sighed. "Alex and I followed you yesterday to make sure nothing untoward happened."

Ian shrugged. Crawley paled. "I'm really sorry, he just turned around and then his eyes got all big and-"

Ian decided to put him out of his misery. Alex really did have the doe-eyed look down pat. "I'm not pissed."

He made a mental note to get Alex ice cream for dinner when they got back.

Crawley was typing up his report when he decided to check on Mini's new acquaintance. There was just something off about that guy. Who the hell made sex jokes to a clearly underage child? Ian didn't count because well...as much as he liked the man, Crawley knew he wasn't exactly in line with social norms. Neither of them was really fit to take care of a kid if he was honest. Crawley barely knew where to begin and that was before factoring in Mini's weirdness. The same kid who could break into houses and shoot people, but also ate ice cream cake for breakfast. Weren't children supposed to be simpler than adults? If he ever found the psychiatrist who said that, he was going to put a bullet in them. Crawley sighed and decided to check the MI6 wanted list with pictures. A few hours later after he'd run the man through facial recognition Crawley was tempted to throw the computer out the window. They'd gotten a match with one of Malagosto's graduates. Because Mini couldn't find a normal ass adult to converse with to save his life apparently. "Ian get up!"

Ian's eyes snapped open. "I think we found our leak. One of SCORPIA's assassins was near the base."

Ian rubbed his eyes. "And how did you get enough for facial recognition?"

The assassins were better trained than that. "Apparently, Mini felt the need to make a jab about his swords and a restraining order. The man decided to respond to him and turned in the direction of one of ASIS's cameras."

Ian sighed. No wonder Alex had been acting oddly. His life would be so much easier if Alex actually asked for help when he needed it. Yeah, he would have sleeping problems too if more of Gregorovich's buddies started showing up in his life. Crawley sighed. "Explains the insomnia."

Ian groaned. "No shit."

Crawley and Ian exchanged a glance. "Alex!"

Alex came in looking adorably sleepy. "What? I swear I didn't do anything but sleep and stalk you with Crawley."

Ian sighed. "You remember that talk we had about not shielding murdering terrorists?"

Alex sighed. "Um, yeah."

Ian felt like beating his head against the wall. "Then why didn't you tell us you had another stalker?"

Alex tried to look suitably puzzled. "I thought he was just a little weird. I didn't know what he did for a living."

Total lie, but the two of them seemed to buy it. Crawley wondered if giving himself a concussion was grounds for mandatory counseling. "Right, next time you feel like someone is a little weird, covertly take a bunch of pictures and give them to us."

Alex huffed. "Well, I didn't want to sound paranoid."

Crawley snorted. Alex's creep-dar was about as good as theirs.

Ian groaned as Alex left the room. Crawley's mouth twisted into a slight smirk. "I swear we should get him checked for some sort of terrorist attracting pheromone."

Ian threw a pillow at him. "It's not funny."

Crawley grinned. "No, it's hilarious. Besides, we can now send the Australians a memo and stop their bitching while rubbing it in their faces."

Ian grinned. "Brooke'll look like he sucked a lemon for weeks."

Crawley snorted. "Decorum. Best send those out now. Jones will want one too."

Ian sighed. "Do you think getting him a Taser is overboard?"

Crawley sighed. "Jack won't be happy, besides doesn't he have enough weapons to be brought up on weapons trafficking charges?"

Ian began to pace. "True."

Crawley ran his hands through his hair. "It won't help him if someone from the island comes after him."

Ian sighed. "I know."

Crawley sighed. "Just try Ian. Besides, you have to teach him about the cult and finish his survival lessons."

Ian continued to pace. "Something deadlier than karate?"

Crawley tilted his head slightly to the right. "It's a possibility, but you have to take his size into account. He'd be better off on styles that don't rely on strength."

Ian stopped mid-pace. "That can be arranged."

Crawley sighed. "You'd better keep an eye on the workouts and the like, then. Regular doctor visits, diet, and all. It's really easy to overdo it with kids, you know."

Ian sighed. "Marion knows about this better than I do."

Crawley's lips pursed. "I'm sure she'll be delighted if you ask for her input."

Ian groaned. "I'm worried she'll just up and move in, though."

Crawley sighed. "Can you really blame her, though?"

Ian sighed. He suddenly felt tired.

Alex Rider was actually planning to get a good night's sleep that night. Instead, he was transported to an all too familiar grey void. "Grim?"

The grey figure was standing behind him and Alex nearly tripped as he turned. "Shortstack. Long time, no see."

Alex sighed. "Why is it a void?"

Grim shrugged. "That's all you short stack."

There was still a house burning in the distance. "Why are we here?"

Grim sighed. "This is where you go instead of nightmares."

Alex began to walk towards the house. "Why?"

Grim walked beside him. "Because it was my original gift and because your nightmares would be difficult to explain, no?"

Alex fingered the scar from the spider web on the back of his hand. "Yeah, they would. Why do I have all of my scars here?"

Grim continues toward the house. "It has to do with how you see yourself. Plus, I'm sure the missions left their mental mark, even if they only really happened in your head so far."

Alex turned to Grim. "They won't happen this time."

Grim chuckled. "And there's the Alex I know. You're at your best when you refuse to give up, I think."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Like I care about the opinion of the sadistic primordial who only brought me back for their own entertainment."

Grim snorted. "I was at first, but it's kind of hard not to root for you, in the end."

Alex grinned. "Getting attached to my sorry mortal ass, are you?"

Grim sucked in a breath. "About that."

Alex resisted the urge to punch the man. "Grim, what the hell is going on?"

Grim huffed. "You won't really ever die. I mean your body will, but not your being. Not a true soul death."

Alex whipped around. "WHAT?!"

Grim sighed. "Relax, short stack, you'll get the nice little family life you wanted. You'll even age naturally for this one."

Alex was pissed. "What do you mean, for this one?!"

Grim sighed. He was hoping the kid was still naive enough not to recognize the pitfalls of soul immortality. "I mean in your next lives, you'll be forever physically twenty-one. Keep in mind you'll probably die before anyone gets suspicious."

Alex was seriously considering punching the man. He didn't even ask first. Besides, what about his family? What about starting his own? "Look on the bright side, short stack, you'll be able to go to any time and any place."

Alex huffed. "Weren't most ancient societies shitholes?"

Grim sighed. "Not the point, besides it's irreversible."

Alex huffed. "I hate you."

Grim looked at him closely. "No, you don't."

Alex sighed. "No, I don't. Good night, Grim."

He would still do anything to save his family.

General Alexei Sarov was enjoying his letter exchange with the young Alex Rider. Frankly, with the loss of his family, Russian politics were particularly lonely. Then again, they had their uses. Being kept in the loop was one, another was being able to start policies, and a third was the money and connections. Sarov was not a materialist in the traditional sense, but he acknowledged the usefulness of such things. For instance, being able to write up an exchange program in such detail with the requirements such that only half a dozen children in all of Britain could meet them. Of those, only one was a child the British government might risk. After all, Alex Rider was the only one not an heir of nobility. He was certain that the other benefits he added in if they managed to produce a student would guarantee their cooperation. The government wanted to enact the changes anyway, but he had convinced his friends that this was the best way to polish it. There were all kinds of subtle jabs at everything British in said proposed law. There would be even more in the negotiations. Oh dear, you British don't have schools where athletics and four languages are an entrance requirement? Shame on you, neglecting the future of your country. Then again, the government in Russia had a lot more direct power, though it had been reduced since the height of its greatness. Needless to say, his allies in the government were all for the proposal. Plus, exchange programs actually did a lot for relations between countries, just look at the start of the cooperative space programs. The fact that he might get to host the child who looked like his long-dead son was just a happy coincidence. Well, not really, but the British didn't know that. Besides, he did not feel like that man deserved a son (well, adopted nephew). Hadn't there been some sort of horrific gang war in that district of Australia that week? What kind of guardian took their children to crime infested areas? War didn't count. Gangs were just asking for delinquency. His smug satisfaction at the look on the man's face would have nothing to do with it, not at all.

Alex Rider woke up with a sigh. Ian and Crawley were both sitting by his bed. "What?"

Ian ran his hands through Alex's hair. "I guess you needed that sleep more than we thought."

Crawley looked a little too cheerful. "We get to go home in a few days."

Alex smirked. Crawley rolled his eyes at the facial expression. He decided to cut the Ian-moment off before it began. It was like an HR moment, except worse. "On a more serious note than your oddly perverted pre-teen mind, we really need to get your weird comas checked out."

Alex frowned. He wasn't sure what brain scans would reveal if anything. "I feel fine."

Crawley snorted. "People with brain cancer feel fine until they start bleeding from the nose."

Alex laughed. "No, you're not paranoid at all."

Ian shrugged. "We're still getting your brain scanned."

Alex sighed. "As long as it doesn't hurt, I suppose."

Ian suddenly looked a little too cheerful. "So, your martial arts regime is going to get edited very soon."

Alex sighed. He wondered if Ian was a closet sadist. "How soon is soon?"

Ian shrugged. "As soon as your aunt gets back to me with the all the programs we normally use for children."

Alex furrowed his brow. "Aren't there, like, three of them?"

Ian shrugged. "Five and yes."

Alex wondered why there were five. "Why five?"

Ian sighed. "Different styles for different purposes. I'm aiming to make your education more aggressive than mine was initially, hence the refresher. Also, due to blatant sexism in some sects of the family Marion was educated more on raising children, hence the better overall knowledge."

Yeah, Ian, you don't seem biased at all there. Alex knew better than to say that out loud, though. He moved to get out of bed. "Room service? You must have really been worried."

He heard Crawley cough lightly and awkwardly pat his shoulder. Ian just pulled him into a hug. Alex flashed his most charming grin. "Aw, c'mon Crawley, group hug."

The man awkwardly joined in. Alex concluded that Crawley hadn't had a hug in years.

As soon as Tulip Jones got word of the exchange program, she felt like screaming. If Sarov hadn't targeted trade regulations the government wanted to be appealed for years, she would have been able to tell him to shove it up his ass. Politely, of course. Unfortunately, most people who could afford that level of education for their children were nobility, rich, or government officials. Most of whom wouldn't really want to do said exchange program. Jones sighed. Time to make the rounds. Well, there was one person she knew would qualify, but Ian would go homicidal before the nine months were up. The last thing they needed was a homicidal Ian. Normal Ian was bad enough, thank you. Plus, the minute Alex so much as got a scratch they would be cleaning up what was left of the Kremlin up with ice scrapers. Jones shuddered at the mental images. Right, no Alex. Shame really, it seemed like the sort of thing he would enjoy. She decided to begin the search. Which noble families had extra children, again? Blunt walked in. "Tulip, we have an exchange program."

Jones sighed. It was like the phrase 'Houston we have a problem', except worse. "I'm aware, Alan."

Blunt gives her a dry look. "You think it was Rider?"

Jones felt the urge to roll her eyes. "Which one?"

Blunt snorts. "There's less of a difference than you might think."

Jones looked up. "Alex's recruitment is not a given, besides a few others qualify."

Blunt stepped closer to her desk. "For the program, sure. To take Ian's place, not really."

Jones raised an eyebrow. "He's antigovernment, Alan."

Blunt remained expressionless. "Such things can be fixed."

He exited Jones' office.

Yassen Gregorovich was about to take his first risk in a very long time. One didn't survive in this business by taking unnecessary risks, after all. Nile was twitching in the corner near him. "If I ask where you are going, will I get stabbed somewhere painful."

Yassen shrugged. "Yes, Nile."

The man twitched again. "What do you want with the boy?"

Nile knew he was pushing it, but for some reason, it seemed worth it. "It depends."

Nile sighed. Pulling teeth. "He's on your list of candidates, isn't he?"

Yassen strapped his knife on. "Perhaps in the future."

Nile huffed. "Save some for the rest of us."

Yassen smirked. "Find your own child assassins, Nile. Besides, this way I get more peace when I retire."

Nile sighed. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to trade."

Yassen huffed. "I have more money than you. Besides, with two apprentices, nobody will complain."

Nile moaned. "Where did you even find them?"

Cossack raised an eyebrow. "I have special contacts."

Nile groaned. "How much would we have to pay you?"

Gregorovich mentally rolled his eyes. "Their names are not for sale."

Nile snorted. Everything was for sale. "Why not?"

Cossack turned to him. "Because they owe me personally."

Nile froze slightly. "You must be one hell of a loan shark."

Yassen held back his snort at the mental image. "True."

Nile was pacing again. "Can I at least come with you?"

Cossack shrugged. "As your coworker, I should not be encouraging this. You can, if you wish. This will be my conversation by my terms and you will remain in the shadows."

Nile refused to admit he was pouting. "Fine."

He paused. "We won't be telling the board about this, will we?"

Cossack threw his body armor at him. "That goes without saying."

Nile began strapping it on. "Hey, so when he's your apprentice, do I get a go with him in combat training?"

Yassen mentally rolled his eyes. Trust Nile to want a sparring match. Then again, the man was a decent teacher and multiple styles were always good. "I suppose it wouldn't be difficult arrange with your insistence on training others at the island."

Nile followed him out the door.

Alex walked into a warehouse at dusk. He'd somehow managed to convince Ian and Crawley to let him out by himself. There stood a man in black with ice blue eyes, the innate grace of a dancer, and casually standing in the shade of a tree. They both went inside. "Your friend with the swords is about to make the FBI top ten awards for shittiest human beings."

Yassen sighed. "So, John Crawley has half a wit."

Alex was offended on the man's behalf. "Hey, he's not dumb. He's just better with management."

Yassen's lips twitched. "And what would you call your talent for attracting trouble?"

Alex rolled his eyes. "Not my fault, totally a glitch in whatever gives people luck."

Yassen would try to beat sense into him if he thought it would do any good. Alex's eyes involuntarily went towards the flash of metal in the darkness. "Nile should really coat his blades in something not reflective."

Yassen huffed. Ian Rider should stop giving classified information to eleven-year-olds. "Nile doesn't normally have a problem with attracting dangerous people in the street or adopting mutant wolves."

Alex rolled his eyes. "What was I going to do? Let the poor guy starve?"

Yassen mentally hit his head against a wall a few times. "Yes."

Alex looked indignant. "Yes, well I have standards."

Cossack pulled a gun on him. The action was met with a draw and safety off Alex's gun at a speed that would have pleased anyone but him. "Still too slow, but at least you no longer have an issue with the impulse to automatically fire."

Nile thought Yassen was being a hardass, but he had been told to stay quiet or fuck off in Yassen language. He didn't dare disobey. While he technically outranked Gregorovich, the guy was a nasty fucker who wouldn't leave a mark, if it came to that. "I'm pretty sure you took care of that. So why are we meeting in person, here and now of all places?"

Nile was pretty sure the kid had more guts than he did. He wouldn't have dared ask. "We needed a talk."

Alex began to circle, a mirroring effect to Yassen. Nile was resisting the urge to shudder. "About?"

Yassen was about as readable as stone. "Your future."

The kid shrugged. "That doesn't sound ominous at all. Besides, you aren't the only other player in that particular game, just the most obvious."

Yassen raised an eyebrow. "The family got involved, then. Not unexpected."

The kid shrugged. "Among others."

The blues eyes flickered with something Nile might have mistaken for fondness. "You really cannot walk down the street without finding trouble."

Alex shrugged. "It has its good points."

Yassen flickered in and out of view. "And the bad."

There was no warning before a knife came soaring in his direction. Only Marion's training had him dodging on instinct.

Nile felt a jolt when he saw Gregorovich chuck the knife at the kid, who just barely dodged it. "You should keep an eye on the news, Alex."

The kid huffed. "I do."

Yassen removed a knife from its sheath. "Then you know what is coming next."

The kid shrugged. "The Russians made their move."

Gregorovich sent the next one at him. "Then you must know that this is Sarov's move."

The kid shrugged. "I figure Jones will block him."

Yassen retrieved both his knives. "I wouldn't be so sure. After all, it might serve Blunt's purpose to have you sent there."

The kid shrugs. "What's your point?"

They were both in and out of the shadows. Nile was eerily reminded of the footage he'd watched of Hunter and Cossack from over a decade ago. "Russia is a more treacherous place than you can imagine. Tread carefully."

The kid stood firmly. "Are you warning me, threatening me, or offering me help?"

A third knife spun through the air. To everyone's surprise (even the kid's), Alex managed to catch it by the hilt. Yassen resisted a smirk as Alex's eyes widened. "Yes."

Alex huffed. "You're a frustrating bastard, you know that right?"

Yassen was more amused than anything else at this point. "Good night, Alex."

Alex sent the knife in his vague direction (it wouldn't have landed anywhere near him), but Yassen and Nile had both already vanished. "God damn it all to hell."

The knife was still there. It was one of Ross's favorite little toys, the very same double-edged eight-inch blade commando knife he'd once had demonstrated for him on the island in class. Alex looked around, shrugged, and picked the knife up, after disengaging it from the boards that made up the warehouse. It wasn't like SCORPIA didn't have hundreds of them lying around. Alex knew better than to leave evidence. He'd picked the warehouse specifically because it had fuel lying around. He'd come here during his afternoon walk and set up the burn. Alex didn't want to risk anyone finding out who he'd met there. The match lit effortlessly and the effect when it hit the gasoline was instantaneous. The warehouse didn't stand a chance. It was dry, made of wood, and soaked in gasoline. Alex didn't stay to watch it burn. He'd learned his lesson last time.

The walk home made him feel oddly peaceful. Alex even got back before his specified late night curfew. The goodnight pleasantries to Ian and Crawley were over in less than a minute. It was planning time. Would Blunt really send him to Russia? Alex needed a game plan. Sarov would be easy to have as a guardian in some ways, but not others. Plus, the guy was a fan of corporal punishment, so it wouldn't end well if he got caught willfully disobeying the man. Alex sighed and set to remember what he could about the man. Paranoid. Hated the west with a passion. Sarov had also been a fan of Russian classics, as far as he could tell. Thankfully, Alex had read more of those before and after his death, so they could talk about those if nothing else. For some reason, Sabina had taken to horses before he'd died, so he could actually ride, now. Alex personally disliked it, but it was an improvement. Of his possible guardians, Sarov would likely be the most structured and would treat him the most like a child. Alex was pretty sure the man was still sane, but how sane was the question. A die-hard patriot and cunning general. From the money the man seemed to have, he was also intelligent in politics and business. Alex could easily picture him. The man was rather difficult to forget, after all. Alex knew he still bore a striking and creepy resemblance to the man's dead son, Vladimir. He was sure his knowing Russian was probably a plus in that book as well. Alex had checked out the photos of the monument to the guy's son and had to admit that the kid could have been his twin. He sighed. It would be a nice break and all he would have to do was keep the guy sane enough not to nuke Russia and half of Europe. At the same time, he had plans and his own study schedule and other things he'd prefer not to have interrupted. Then, he got a text from Mandy.

-A

So a friend of mine has a situation. Any chance you can call me?

-M

What the hell? He was already up anyway, he supposed. Then again, he had a sinking suspicion about Mandy's lack of reliance on adults. Alex was intrigued. Well, this was how he got himself into trouble. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to care.

-M

Sure.

-A

The phone rang once before Mandy picked up. Alex felt a small smile at the corner of his lips. "So, Mandy, what's so urgent that we're both up past our bedtimes?"

Mandy's laugh was a little nervous on her end. "Is anyone listening to our calls?"

Alex laughed. "Probably not, but if you're really that paranoid get a disposable phone and never use it for more than one call and never over a minute, three if it's a special kind."

Mandy sighed. "I need you to fix something for a friend like you fixed things for me."

Alex sighed. "Start at the beginning. What's going on?"

Call him a sucker, but kids didn't deserve to suffer just because they didn't know how to fix their lives and adults couldn't or wouldn't teach them. "So my friend has a pet that's about to get put down and it wasn't her fault. The dog likes to escape and doesn't even bite people. Then, their stupid neighbors have to go and call the police. They don't even get bitten and the dog never touches people's gardens."

Alex sighed and recalled the London leash laws he'd memorized. "Alright. You need at least three people to come and testify that the dog never caused harm. Then take pictures of the proof that your friend tried to stop the dog from escaping to take to court. After that, your friend needs to have a system upgrade to that security. Have the plans done in time for the judge and get it done within a month of the court case. Your friend will probably get off with a warning."

Mandy was rustling around. "Slow down. I need to write this down."

Alex waited until the rustling stopped. "Okay, now just to make sure you seem extra proactive, have your friend plan more walks to cut down on the dog's energy and show it to the judge. No reasonable guy is going to do more than giving a warning."

Mandy sighed. "Thanks, Alex."

Alex shrugged. "The London leash laws aren't that hard to learn."

Mandy laughed softly. "Yeah, but the court case is in three days and none of us had time to look this up. You were my last good bet on someone who would know this stuff and my friend's parents hate the dog won't pay for legal advice or anything."

Alex smiled. "Deep breath, Mandy."

He had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time he heard about this family. "Now, get some sleep and document like crazy in the morning, okay?"

Mandy sighed over the phone. "I miss you too, brat."

Alex grinned. "Whatever, goth girl. Don't smoke too much of whatever it is you're on."

Mandy hung up. Alex was asleep in minutes.

Ian Rider was reduced to eavesdropping. Like a bloody twelve-year-old. Why was Alex giving legal advice to his friends at what had to be an inconvenient time for everyone? Why did he smell like gasoline after coming back at eleven-thirty at night? Why was he using a knife sharpening kit after using one yesterday? There were only so many times you could sharpen and polish knife. Where did he get that knife, because it wasn't from the basement? "Spying on your poor, poor nephew again, Ian?"

Crawley was tilted against the doorway. "I'm starting to see why he runs off so much. Did you ever consider that constant surveillance irritates the shit out of people, especially children?"

Ian huffed. "He just gets into so much trouble, John, even with my watching him."

Crawley huffed. "He might ditch the house less if you didn't watch his every move while he was in it."

Ian sighed. "I didn't really think of that."

Crawley sighed. "You can't micromanage his life forever, Ian."

Ian ran his hands through his hair. "But what about when he meets wolf mutants or assassins?"

Crawley rolled his eyes. "Most people in the street meet one and are never the wiser. They're all perfectly safe because of that blindness, you know."

Ian snorted. "Until they're not and they become another murder victim in the news."

Crawley sighed. "I realize, but isn't that what all your extracurricular activities are for?"

Ian sighed. "I just feel like it isn't enough, you know. There's so much I don't know about him and what he knows."

Crawley raised an eyebrow. "Gee, Ian, who here routinely assesses agents?"

Ian turned to him. "Aren't those tests classified?"

Crawley shrugged. "I'll just take some extra copies and tell Jones I'm checking them versus effectiveness in the field or something. Besides, it'll still be covered by that OSA for whatever it's worth to Mini. You don't have to do this all on your own, you know."

Ian breathes out. "Get some of the specialty tests from Smithers, too. I can get the practical materials without question."

Crawley shrugged. "Done."

Ian turned toward him. "Oh, and John?"

Crawley breathed out. Damn, he was a sucker for those eyes. "Yes, Ian?"

The man stepped closer. "Thank you."

The wear and tear of travel was really annoying. It seemed that no matter how much you tried to sleep on airplanes, you never got enough. Alex was predictably cranky after his flight. They had landed shortly before the workday ended as well, so traffic had been an utter nightmare. When they finally parked in the driveway, Alex felt his eye twitch a couple times in irritation. He tapped the vial of venom he'd managed to get past customs. He was going to check on Mandy as soon as he got a free moment. Alex had forgotten how much responsibility having friends was sometimes. Well, his version of friends. You know, the kind who would and could actually help if someone was in trouble. The British and international law was next on his list. As much as he ignored them, sometimes it was helpful to know the stuff in case you had friends who were more inclined to use the legal system, instead of getting around it. It would also be helpful in case Blunt tried any of his usual tricks to get his way in the future. The first thing Alex had learned when he looked up public records was that they were as boring as watching paint dry. The second is that there was a good deal of laws that seemed to exist just because one person had been idiotic enough to do something, not as many as the Americans had, but enough to get irritated. Didn't Jack have a law degree? Alex figured he could at least ask her for help or something. Tom, Jack, and Fenrir were waiting for him. The other surprise was Charles. "Uh, Captain Brandon, what are you doing here?"

The guy raised an eyebrow. "I'm a doctor and former Captain. For God's sake, call me Charles!"

Alex snorted. "I hadn't thought Ian was serious about the brain scan and sleep stuff."

Ian looked between them. He'd asked Jones to find someone decent with a clearance. "You two know each other?"

They looked at him. "We met in a library."

Alex stated. It wasn't actually a lie. "Medical section has some interesting stuff."

Brandon shrugged. "Can't say I disagree. I was catching up on a case study or two."

Ian sighed. He was definitely getting paranoid. There couldn't be that many former army doctors in London, anyway. Brandon and Alex moved through the door. "So did you get through the basic biology yet?"

Alex rolled his eyes. "I finished it weeks ago. You got my essays, right?"

Brandon nodded. "Yeah, I was job hunting, though. Sorry I was a bit slow."

Alex shrugged. "It's cool. I read the other first and second year textbooks. I'm halfway through the third year of theory for pre-meds."

Brandon grins wryly. "We'll have you taking the MCAT in no time."

Alex moved past him to unpack his stuff and pet Fenrir.

Jack turned toward Brandon. "Charles, do you really think it's wise to have him learning all that now?"

Charles shrugged. "Ma'am, I won't tell you how to raise your kids, but with a smart kid like that, if he isn't busy, he'll find some trouble to be busy with. Or more of it, at any rate."

Jack turned red, ever so slightly. "Oh, uh, Alex and Tom aren't mine."

Charles snorted. "May as well be. At any rate, he'll be comfortable in check-up at least."

Charles sat down as everybody ran off to unpack, make dinner, or chat with their friend. He wondered how the kid was mixed up with SIS. The men maybe? The lady in black had been very clear about not to asking him any questions. He wondered if the kid knew who exactly was looking out for him. SIS didn't normally get this involved. It was all weird. This reeked far too much like what happened to his father for it to be in his comfort zone. Then again, all he had to do was be himself. The doctor part of him anyway. The lady hadn't told him, but it was very clear they were also paying for his silence. He wondered why the family didn't seem to go to normal doctors. The medical records for the uncle were redacted. The kid had all his vaccines (plus a few extra), but otherwise didn't have much of a file, except for his hospital visits. They would have normally been markers for abuse if the records hadn't made clear the fact that the kid was nowhere near any of his guardians all the times he disappeared and came back injured. Then again, there was that sketchy reunion in fucking Afghanistan. Brandon had decided to do blood tests for almost every disease and stat under the sun, just to be safe. God knew what the water was like wherever in that shithole the kid had ended up. He hadn't pictured himself doing a clinic and the occasional house visit, but he could work with this. This was already better than coming back with nothing and a murder investigation. He set up the stuff. Surgery was his actual specialty, but he could always get another opinion and he knew how to use most of the equipment. First things first. Standard check-up.

Alex wondered if there was a reason that he never really saw that many doctors before. Or at least ones that would ask the normal questions. "What do you do for fun?"

Alex shrugged. "Play with Tom or Fenrir. I garden sometimes. I have some reading that isn't strictly educational."

Charles sighed. He had been hoping for something less adult. "What are your sleeping habits like?"

Alex shrugged. "I aim for six to eight hours each day. I know the guidelines say ten, but who the hell actually does that?"

Charles chuckled. Yeah, he knew that feeling. "Try to go for ten. I know stuff gets distracting. Six at the bare minimum."

Alex grinned. "If you ask about my feelings, I'm going to tell you to shove it somewhere unpleasant."

Charles snorted. "Not that kind of doctor, trouble."

Alex let out a small indignant sound. "I'm not that bad."

Charles rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure you aren't. It says here you got stabbed in Mexico and shot in Germany."

Alex sighed. "Shrapnel. Besides, it healed nicely in both cases."

Charles sighed. "Stiffness?"

Alex shrugged. "A bit, but I used the exercises the hospital people told me to use, and not anymore."

Charles checked it off his list. "Sounds okay. The scar tissue looks mostly superficial, anyhow."

Brandon moved on. "Nightmares?"

Alex sighed as loudly as he could. "Not very many."

Charles shrugged. "Insomnia?"

Alex wondered whether this was actually standard. "A bit more, but never for more than two night in a row."

Charles did more standard temperature, breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate checks. "You're very fit for your age."

Alex shrugged. "I exercise daily."

Charles sighed. "Eating habits?"

Alex smirked slightly. "Healthy with the occasional cake for breakfast."

Charles made a mental note to stick Ian with a chart for healthy diet and exercise for children of all ages. It was different for adults and some people sucked at keeping their kids fit and inappropriate nutritional ranges. The checks went on for a while and ended with a blood draw. "Do I have to?"

Charles' lips twitched. "Yes."

Alex had a little more muscle built than he was comfortable with anyway.

When he was finally alone with Tom (and petting Fenrir), Alex pulled out his phone and called Mandy. "So, how'd it go?"

Mandy seemed tired but happy. "Oh, it went great. She and the dog got off with a warning thanks to you. How was Australia?"

Alex smirked. "Full of beaches and sunshine. You'd hate everything except the snake-infested outback, goth girl."

Mandy's laugh was pleasant over the phone. "True, my dear, true. Say, do you want to meet some cooler big kids."

Alex didn't see why not. "Sure, as long as Tom gets to come with me."

Mandy snorted. "Of course. It just wouldn't be the same with the dynamic duo split up. Bring Hale while you're at it and we can have the trio."

Alex got the feeling he was missing something. "Sure. When is this little gathering, oh demon queen?"

Mandy giggled. "Friday night. When else do all of us social rejects have time?"

Alex grinned. "Every night, Mandy. You just want to have a LARP and sound cool."

Mandy gave out a mock gasp of offense. "I'm offended at the implication. Show up at dinner time."

Alex chuckled as he hung up. Tom was looking at him. "Do you still want me around?"

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Of course, Tom. Why do you ask?"

Tom shrugged. "I dunno. Sometimes I feel like I'm not smart enough or strong enough or cool enough or good enough with older girls, you know."

Alex grabbed his shoulder. "Of course I want you around. As for the rest of it, I care about what you think, not what everybody else says. As for the girls, Tom, you just talk to them like we normally do. They are the same species, after all."

Tom grimaced. "It's like you got all old and wise or something."

Alex laughed at that. He was the last person anyone should take any kind of model or advice from. "Believe me, Tom, half of it is good acting. I got straight hundreds in drama remember?"

Tom grinned. "You made a beautiful girl."

Alex shoved the nearest pillow in Tom's face and began to chase him around the house. "Bullshit!"

Tom laughed as he ran away until the dog tackled him. Fenrir shot a look at Alex. "Good doggy."

Tom groaned. "That is so cheating."

Alex grinned. "Eat your heart out, Tom."

Nile was running through his report at top speed. Or rather, as fast as he could go while reporting to his bosses. Three seemed to be enjoying his nervousness a little too much. Then again, the man was a known sadist who wrote torture manuals for fun. "Something the matter, Nile?"

Nile sighed. "I think I need a vacation, sir."

Chase's lips twitched. "Gregorovich, we said don't torture our second-in-commands."

Yassen raised an eyebrow. "I maintain my innocence."

Three looked vaguely amused. "Seconded, sir. I think we just have personalities that are incompatible in the long term."

Chase sighed. That was the nicest way anybody had put it. He wasn't sure anybody could survive over a few months with Yassen unless their name happened to be Rhea. "You can take the next month after your check-ups. Your next assignment doesn't need to be started for a while anyway."

Nile left. "My apprentice?"

Chase shrugged. "Passed with flying colors of course. The shot on her graduation assignment was a work of art."

Yassen shrugged. "Good. Put her on my list of acceptable coworkers. I suppose I will teach her the rest of the sniping over time."

There were very few snipers that had his skill. It took years to learn. Three cut in. "Very well, we'll try to coordinate schedules."

Yassen exited. "Good day."

Chase sighed. "I wonder sometimes-"

Three cut him off. "Patience, Brendan, besides we both know Gregorovich's personality does not preclude itself to group work."