Chapter 2: SCORPIA Arrives

By: Zyzyax

Yassen Gregorovich was not best pleased to hear about Alex's current lapse of judgment in life choices. Alex had not only started going out drinking, knife-throwing, and dart throwing but also had a very specific and uncommon drink order. Yassen and a few select people had decided to slowly slink into London. There was no telling what MI6 would do or say and it was best not to get them anymore involved in Alex's life. It was bad enough he seemed to be working for them, along with occasionally slipping Gordon Ross and Doctor Three occasional tidbits. Yeah, he wasn't happy with Alex. Gordon was manageable. Doctor Three was out of both of their leagues. Yassen had slipped into London to, well, watch and intervene. Also, Alex didn't seem to be capping his drinks all that reasonably. Yassen had watched him throw knives at his teacher for an entire morning and homework in a few hours for the entire weekend. Clearly, the teachers here had no idea what Alex would do if given free time. Alex was known to be a pyromaniac. He'd set an entire forest, Malagosto, and every. single. compound. that he'd entered while on a mission on fire. Yassen felt that Alex should have gotten more homework. Also, exactly where did his supposedly normal Headmaster get the idea that bringing a student knife throwing and drinking was okay. Yassen had considerably fewer problems with the knife throwing, but having your student join you in your journey to complete alcoholism was just inexcusable. Alex had a stunning ability to aim while six drinks in. Yassen suspected that was Gordon's fault. He and Gordon would be having a little talk about that before Yassen left town for an assignment. Yassen had slipped a drug into Alex's drink. It was a slow-acting sedative. Aside from the massive headache the next morning, it shouldn't have any permanent side-effects when combined with alcohol. Yassen patiently waited for Alex to wake up in his room while some of his other teachers waited downstairs. Yermalov had volunteered to make breakfast, surprisingly enough. The redhead housekeeper had just...allowed it, saying that she was more than mildly concerned about Alex's new hobbies.

Alex woke up with the worst headache of his life. There was a very grumpy Yassen standing over him. Alex pinched his nose. "Fuck."

Yassen glared at him. "Get dressed."

Was it his imagination or was Yassen louder than normal? Eh, it was probably a hangover. Alex took the clothes that were thrown at him and went to shower. Alex sighed as the shower water hit him. Alex stepped out a few minutes later and grabbed a glass of water from the sink. He was going to watch his drinking after this. Waking up with Yassen glaring over you was heart-attack inducing. Alex grabbed a second glass of water and was struck with a sudden thought. Alex threw the door open, brandishing one of his throwing knives. "Where's Jack?"

Yassen arched a brow. "Jack is downstairs eating breakfast."

Alex arched a brow. "And she let you in?"

Yassen shrugged. "Your guardian is very concerned about your drinking habits."

Alex blinked. "What?"

Yassen patted him on the shoulder. Alex squinted through the pain of sunlight. "So are the rest of us. Now finished getting dressed and coming down to breakfast so we can get on with the intervention."

Alex wondered if Yassen was talking louder on purpose. Probably. He was a fucking sadist if Gordon was to be believed. Alex walked downstairs. Yermalov was making him breakfast. Fuck. "You're making breakfast?"

Yermalov perked up. "Yes."

Alex sat down at the table, ignoring the swooping feeling of doom in his stomach. Alex was handed a shake that was bright green. "What is in this?"

Yermalov sighed. "Spinach, yogurt, blueberries, oats, milk, and cinnamon."

Alex blinked and gingerly took a sip. It wasn't bad. "Thank you."

Yermalov sat down with his bright magenta shake. Alex stole a glance around the room to see how fucked he was. There was Jack, Jet, Yassen, The Countess, Yermalov, and Klaus. He was going to die, he just knew it.

There was a literal ten-minute silence after breakfast. Alex knew better than to be the first one to speak and settled for rubbing the knife in his sleeve to stave off some of his nerves. Yassen broke the silence. "Jack, how about starting?"

Jack frowned. "Well, Alex, I was willing to accept this thing you have with Headmaster Bray, as long as it stuck to weekends. But this started to become every night. You went out and drank and threw darts every night."

Alex shrugged. "I got all my work done. My grades are back to normal and everything. I even keep up with my workout."

Jack glared at him. "I'm not Ian. I care about your mental well-being and this is not it."

Alex just gaped at her. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

Jack frowned. "I thought you might listen to these guys more since they were your actual teachers."

Alex blinked. "Okay, why are the rest of you here?"

The adults spoke almost simultaneously. Yassen scowled. "You have a favorite drink order."

Yermalov huffed. "Knife throwing while drunk is unsafe."

Jet piped up. "You're slowly poisoning yourself."

Klaus was silent and The Countess cut through the room. "Wasted potential. One at a time."

Yermalov refilled Alex's shake. "Do not throw knives while four drinks in."

Alex crossed his arms and Jack gasped. "But I still hit the bullseye!"

Jet scowled. "You're as bad as Gordon!"

Alex huffed. "The man drinks all day!"

Jet's eye twitched. "It's called being a functional alcoholic."

Alex glared. "There's no need to get personal and hurt my feelings like that."

Jet's voice was raised. "Yes, there is!"

The Countess looked at both of them and they quietly sat down. Alex saw Jack look at the woman with a mix of awe and respect. Well, The Countess was a lovely, classy lady that Alex liked having around. Yassen glared at Alex. "Take off your shirt."

Alex flushed. "But there are women here!" Alex was mainly concerned with The Countess. Yassen simply walked toward him and sliced his shirt off. "Yassen!"

Alex's twelve knives were on display. Yassen began adjusting his holsters. Alex was beginning to feel very nervous. "See, isn't that much better?"

Alex resisted a gulp. "Yes."

Yassen looked smug and backed away. Klaus rolled his eyes. "How many knives are you wearing?"

Alex grinned. "A lot. Besides, these are throwing knives. You need a lot more of them than these."

Alex took out the seven-inch knife Gordon had given him. Klaus frowned. "How good is your throwing?"

Alex shrugged, thinking of Ian and his god-like knife throwing. "Pretty good."

Not as good as Ian. Not even close. Yassen cut in. "He can hit moving targets with pinpoint accuracy."

Jet arched a brow. "And you didn't bring it up because?"

Alex flushed. The real reason was complicated. "Nobody asked. Besides, I'm not that good." Compared with Ian. Alex sighed. "Fine, fine. I'll quit except for weekends which I've got detention for."

Yassen muttered. "Not for much longer, you don't."

Alex sighed as he walked back upstairs. "Not that good?"

He heard Klaus ask. It was Jack, surprisingly, who answered. "I imagine he means compared to Ian."

Alex closed the door before he heard any more.

Alex was surprised that he survived the intervention. Honestly, that had been terrifying. Alex hastily checked that everything was in his bag before grabbing it to head to school. Yassen had helpfully tossed him his school uniform, so he didn't have to change. Alex avoided looking at any of the adults as he got in the car with Jack. The car ride was dead silent. Alex was praying to whatever god would listen that today would be an easy day. Alex inhaled softly and began to use a calming exercise he'd modified from Yermalov's disastrous attempts to teach him meditation. Look, ha had issues sitting still, y'know. Jack was staring at him in between traffic stops. Alex closed his eyes and began to count the turns of the vehicle. It was something Ian had once taught him. Then again, it was probably meant to help him escape while blindfolded. Jack was still eyeing him once they stopped at school. Ian's voice echoed in his head. Don't be rude, Alex. "See you tonight, Jack."

The woman gave him a look that Alex couldn't fully identify. Alex shut the door midway through her reply. Tom walked up to him. "Bad morning?"

Alex shrugged. "Yup."

Tom patted his shoulder consolingly. "Bad luck, mate. I heard we got a substitute for biology, though."

Alex felt relief. Not too rough a day, then. "Good."

Tom rubbed his arm and frowned. "Must be bad if you wanted a substitute day."

Alex gave Tom a soft smile. "Thanks, Tom."

Tom shoved him lightly. "Race you to biology!" Alex grinned and tore after him, despite the "no running in the hall" rule at Brooklands. Ms. Bedfordshire was, thankfully, not patrolling the halls that day. Alex walked through the door to biology shortly before Tom got there out of breath. "No fair, Al!" Alex laughed and turned to greet their new teacher and then froze on the spot. It was Doctor Three. Tom was waving his hand in front of Alex's face. "Alex? You're not breathing."

Alex inhaled. "Sorry, he just looks like someone I know." Three was radiating something akin to anger, though he might appear affable at the moment to most people. "Er, hi. Welcome to Brooklands."

Alex managed to choke out before taking his seat in the back of the class and trying hard not to throw up. Tom was shooting him concerned glances as class started. Alex paid attention, knowing full well what Three did to inattentive students.

Tom Harris was a little concerned about Alex but was otherwise having a blast. Dr. Three was the best Biology substitute teacher Brookland has ever had. "I brought some of my specimens for dissection! It's a pity nobody approved the vivisection." Tom doesn't know why Alex looks so sick. He's never been squeamish before. The man carefully walked them through the dissection step-by-step. It was awesome. Permission to play with - he meant to measure - frog guts was pretty much a dream come true for him. The dude also went over key similarities with human anatomy. "Mr. Rider, why don't you remain after class? I understand you're quite behind and I would be remiss in not helping you further your education."

Alex grabbed his leg under the desk. Tom wondered if it was the teacher that was setting Alex off. Maybe that was why he'd gone all pale before this stuff even started? "What would happen if we combined frog and human DNA?"

Doctor Three paused. "Excellent question, Mr. Harris. But I believe class is, sadly, at an end. I'm sure Mr. Rider wouldn't mind you staying after with him to discuss it further. Now I believe you have chemistry next hour with a...Mr. Ross."

Alex blanched further at that name. Tom was getting seriously concerned as they both headed off to Chemistry. "What's wrong?"

Alex sighed. "Well, I'd hate to ruin your day."

Tom gave him the evil eye. "Say it."

Alex whispered in his ear. "These are my teachers from terrorist school."

Tom blinked. "Cool!"

Alex sighed. "Not cool."

They both slid into class. Ross grabbed Alex. "You blow up our school, kid, and we come to yours."

Alex was regretting his existence at the moment as Ross began their chemistry class. Tom looked at Alex. "What was that about?"

Alex pulled out his notebook. "Later, Tom."

The rest of the day continued like that. Tom felt like teachers from the terrorist school were better than the rest of their teachers. Alex continued blanching and mostly recovering throughout the whole day. PE had been the worst, though. Alex had groaned at the sight of the Russian? dude. Tom had been afraid to ask. He'd set them all laps immediately and chased them through the gymnasium. "Faster! Like you mean! My dead grandmother runs faster than you!" By the end of the lesson, several people had passed out. Mostly girly girls who Tom suspected were anorexic or something and several of the chubbier kids. "And the last one called himself a physical education teacher! Disgraceful!"

With that, they had been dismissed. Alex had let him come with him to his talk to Doctor Three.

Doctor Three had briefly answered Tom's question, to his credit. It did not help Alex's nerves at all. "Now, Alex, you and I have much to discuss."

Without your little friend, was unsaid, but implied. Tom looked at him. Alex resisted the urge to hyperventilate. "Go on, Tom. I'll catch up."

That is if Three doesn't kill me on the spot. Doctor Three launched into a long and pointed lecture about missing key educational points. Alex had sort of tuned it out. "...Aside from that. I heard from Yassen that you've taken up hobbies of ill repute."

Alex blinked. It took him a second to realize that Three was mentioning the drinking and the darts. "The drinking and the darts, you mean."

Three cut him off. "Yes. That. It ends now."

Alex gulped and tried not to squeak out his reply. "Okay."

Doctor Three continued. "Here is your make-up schedule."

Alex took it. "This sets my school days at sixteen hours."

Three fixed him with a look. "Yes, it does. Also, given that your guardian doesn't like cooking or early mornings, Professor Yermalov will be taking over your morning and evening meals."

Alex resisted whimpering, but it was a close call. "Understood, sir."

Three looked almost amused. "Good."

The dismissal was in Three's tone. Alex paused at the door. "What happened to all the real teachers?"

Three arched a brow. "Food poisoning."

Alex blinked. "All of them?"

The Doctor was amused. "Yes. Now, I believe the principal wanted to speak with you."

Alex left and headed for the office.

Alex knew that he shouldn't be surprised, but he was. In Headmaster Bray's office was a way-too-cheerful Oliver D'Arc. "Welcome, Alex!"

Alex sat down. "Thanks."

The Frenchman was as cheerful as always. Alex had always found it eerie. "As you might have guessed, I'm your new Headmaster until further notice."

Alex blinked. "Are there any other, er, leadership changes?"

D'Arc looked almost smug. "Certainly. Mr. Kurst is on the anti-bullying task force." Alex choked back a laugh. Kurst bullied his way onto the anti-bullying task force. Alex could only imagine him bullying them mid-meeting. He would feel sorry for them, but they were a bunch of idiots. "Mr. Mikato and Mr. Chase are on the citizenship board."

Alex found that almost equally hilarious, given that Mikato wasn't a citizen and Chase had betrayed his country. The rest of the board seemed to be in equally ironic positions. "How did the school board pass this with Blunt watching like a hawk?"

D'Arc paused. "You misunderstand. Blunt ensured this would pass."

Alex sighed. "I want to kill him sometimes."

D'Arc's demeanor didn't falter in the slightest. "That's the spirit!"

Alex arched a brow. "And what was his justification for this little stunt?"

D'Arc frowned. "Something about free training and not having to cover your medical costs and explosions."

Alex grumbled. "Fucking cheapskate doesn't even pay me for my work." D'Arc looked nervous. "Er, sorry, it's not your fault." Alex paused. "Is this school even insured anymore?"

D'Arc quivered. "Well, no. Nobody in the country will insure a school with Gordon Ross."

Alex patted the man on the shoulder. "Well, good luck with that."

D'Arc paused as Alex moved to leave. "Also, your detentions from the knife incident are no more."

Alex sighed. He'd expected it but was still kind of crushed. He'd been having fun for once. "I figured. Thank you for your time, Headmaster."

Alex left and met up with Tom outside the school. "Any chance you've got some sort of time-killing procrastination activity?"

Tom grinned. "Yes."

Alex had been having an especially rough few weeks. Tom had commented that he seemed to be running on caffeine and spite. Alex had just glared at him. After Yermalov started experimenting with his breakfast shakes, Alex had given up on controlling his caffeine intake. Apparently, access to new fruits meant new shakes. The fact that the school scores had increased had not come as a surprise to Alex. Malagosto's teachers were good at results, after all. Tom was trying to convince him that it wasn't so bad. "But I like the teachers. Yermalov isn't even that bad!"

Alex frowned. He was not about to admit that he liked them even in terrorist mode. The "remedial classes from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day were not helping his sleep hours. "Lemme just down this Monster. Be right back."

Alex was back after downing the thing. "Aren't those banned for under sixteens in Britain?"

Alex knew he was the reason they were banned. Blunt had a blanket pass on laws that would "help" him. Alex had never wanted to murder someone more than that day. "Jack supplies me under the table. She says I look like shit after school."

Tom blinked. Alex knew he might have a problem if Tom was concerned, but didn't care at the moment. "That's your eighth today."

Alex sighed. "Yesterday hit me like a freight train; I'm still catching up."

Tom huffed. "So, you just stood in the tracks."

Alex gave Tom a squinty look. "I was metaphorically tied up like some 1900s black and white film damsel."

Tom blinked. "Has that...happened?"

Alex tossed his empty Monsters. "I don't want to talk about it."

Tom was looking at him with big blue eyes. "Whatever mate, I'm just worried."

Alex arched an eyebrow. "You're worried about energy drinks when I have terrorists at my school trying to kill me for 16 hours a day?"

Tom flushed. "Alright, so when you put it like that it's a little silly."

Alex made sure to keep up with the amount of water for those energy drinks. It was nearly four liters per day. The last thing he needed was to get kidney failure and be caught with his liters of energy drinks. He inhaled and followed Tom into regular people class. Alex had assassin classes before and after regular classes. It was awful. Alex grimly wondered what SCORPIA was actually up to. It wasn't like they were friends.

Gordon was eyeing him funny in Chemistry. Alex mentally groaned as Gordon made him stay after class. Ross eyed Alex's energy drink. "Kids aren't supposed to have those."

Alex glared. "Kids aren't supposed to be able to shoot a running man with a pistol at 500 meters but here we are."

Gordon raised a shaggy eyebrow. "That's impossible."

Alex gave him an innocent look. "Care to test your luck?"

Ross gave him a half-grin. "Against yours? No thanks. You're gonna need it, kid."

Alex frowned. That didn't sound good. "With what?"

Gordon smirked. "Dr. Three when he finds out you're drinking those."

Alex gave Gordon a borderline homicidal look and replied in a honied tone. "He's not gonna find out, now is he?"

Ross crossed his arms. "I'm a concerned teacher, Alex. I have to make sure my students are-"

Alex felt a jolt of panic. "I'll tell Jet you peed on her Jequirity."

Gordon scowled. "I did not!"

Alex smirked. It almost hurt. "Who do you think she'll believe?"

Ross huffed. "Fine. Here."

He handed Alex a travel coffee mug. Alex arched a brow. "What's this for?"

Ross gave him a look. "To hide your energy drinks in."

Alex sniffed the drink holder. "It smells like booze."

Ross leaned against the wall. "How do you think I deal with you brats all day?"

Alex squinted. "It has your name on the outside."

Ross huffed. "No one'll notice. It's not like they remember your name with how much you're gone."

Alex crossed his arms. "Shut up, Ross, no one likes you."

Gordon retorted. "Detention. With Professor Yermalov."

Alex snapped. "Fine with me. I didn't want to go through your stupid lock picking bullshit again."

Gordon now looked amused. "It's Yermalov. His detentions start at 3 a.m. and you can make that two detentions."

Alex glared. "I hate you!"

Ross grinned. "Music to my ears."

Alex walked off. He knew he'd regret that little outburst in the morning, but fuck Gordon and his bullshit. It was his body and he would down as many energy drinks as he wanted. Alex eyed the canteen. Well, he could scratch Gordon's name off and sharpie his own on. Plus, it would come in handy for his energy drinks. No more dumping dozens of tiny bottles.