Built for Espionage: Chapter Four
K-unit were awake and ready to leave by 6am, moving out of the hotel as a team and heading towards Liverpool street. Wolf drove their jeep through the sleepy streets of London, passing a few business personals who hurried towards an endless job that would run them to the ground.
Snake and Eagle casually chatted while Fox and Wolf sat at the front and contemplated their latest mission. The very child that they would be protecting and training. One they had thought to be at least sixteen who turned out to be fourteen.
'Reckon Cub knows?' Said Wolf, silencing the conversation between Eagle and Snake and gaining a confused two from the two in the backseat.
'Maybe, MI6 might have told him' Suggested Snake, nodding out the window as they turned onto Liverpool street. Eagle agreed with him while Fox seemed to frown at the question.
'Knowing MI6, they probably won't tell him till someone's shooting at the kid' Ben said spitefully, causing all occupants of the car to turn to the MI6 and K-unit agent. They kept quiet as Wolf parked the car, yet no one moved to get out. Wolf cast Ben another concerned glance before he sighed.
'We'll tell him as soon as we see him, he's apart of K-unit and Ms Jones said we could only share it with K-unit.' He smirked spotting the loop-hole that had been running through his mind since they had left MI6. Eagle gave out a laugh at the idea while Snake and Fox smiled.
They all exited the car and walked towards Royal & General Bank. They walked up the path, Eagle jumping over a bike that lay across walk way.
'Who leaves a bike in the middle of the path unattended?' Complained Eagle as he turned to inspect the bike, picking it up and leaning it against the wall. Snake and Fox gave the bike and Eagle a confused glance. They looked over the bike, only to spot a small brand behind the seat.
'Does that say MI6?' questioned Fox as he urged Eagle to have a closer look at the bike, especially where he thought the 'Property of MI6' brand was. Eagle leaned closer about to read out the small font on the bike when suddenly he jumped.
'That's my bike-' Started a new voice, one of a kid who had run across the street to only find a group of grown men looking at his bike. Eagle instantly looked to the new voice while Snake froze and Wolf and Fox glanced at look at the newcomer.
'K-unit? Eagle what are you doing to my bike?' The teen called, recognising the team that were inspecting his bike, the very people he thought were trying to steal it and was ready for a fight. Instead he came to a stop nearly a metre from K-unit.
'Cub?' Announced Eagle as Fox and Wolf turned fully to see the child spy.
'Alex' Said Ben before he walked up to the boy and brought out his hand, wishing to grab the boy in a hug but knowing that he'd probably be pushed away.
'Ben' The two exchanged glances, a silent conversation of Ben asking why Alex was here and how he had been. While Alex groaned at every question silently asked by the MI6 and K-unit member.
Ben sighed at the child-spy's response, ignoring the occasional glance behind his shoulder Alex was constantly doing, as though he feared someone walking out of the Royal & General bank. He probably did.
Alex watched Ben's expressions, the man continuing this odd caring father act that he had started doing whenever he saw Alex. Instead Alex glanced to the reflective windows on the Royal & General bank, watching the building across the street where Yassen and he had been talking.
'You two need to stop with this creepy unspoken conversation thing, because the rest of us are still here' Said Snake who had turned to face the boy who's bike they were crowding.
Alex looked over the men he had trained with for two weeks before his very first mission. He looked over Eagle who was still holding his bike, a nervous expression across his face, his dark skin and hair contrasting with bright green eyes. Snake stood nearest to Eagle, the medic smiling at him and fiddling with a folder that was in his hands.
Wolf had grown taller since he'd last seen the man at Point Blanc Academy. He still had his square figure and black cropped hair, he remembered the man's story he had told Alex after Point Blanc, chatting away about how he had broken his nose years ago. Then Ben, or Fox stood right in front of him, his face filled with concern. Ben Daniels had helped him more than many people had ever, and the man probably knew more about the teen spy then he was ever meant to know.
Yet unbeknownst to the teen spy, K-unit had all read through his file last night. Snake has refused to read it though, for some reason he wanted the boy to tell him himself. He didn't want the boy to be a bit of lite reading before bed, no he wanted the story from the young spy.
Each man that read Alex Rider's file watched the boy, waiting for a groan of pain from his near assassination, looking for signs of a recent mission, a limp, a bruise, a cut. But the boy was fine, he was nearly smiling at the men before him and they all could only see the small boy they had trained with those months ago.
'Why are you guys here?' Questioned Alex, nodding his head towards the Royal & General Bank. K-unit exchanged glances before Wolf began to answer.
'We were called into the bank something about a new account' Answered Eagle, winking down at the fourteen-year-old who returned his wink with a look of un-amusement.
'Why?' He questioned them, a bored expression making its way to his face while he looked to Wolf or Ben for a reasonable response.
'We were called in yesterday about it, we're back today to agree and get a few things straight' Simply put it just what he expected from the leader of K-unit, Wolf rolled his eyes as Eagle groaned at them for not keeping in character while he pushed Alex's bike towards the boy.
'You should head off, I'm sure you don't want to sit in on this' Snake was confused by Eagles actions, the expression he had dawn clearly showing that. Alex was also much more interested now. He was supposed to be meeting up with Tom today, but now that Eagle seemed desperate to get rid of him, he didn't want to leave.
'Actually, I needed to visit Smithers, he's got some stuff for me, mind if I tag along' He tested the waters, determined to find out exactly what they were trying to hide from him. Eagle seemed to sweat at his words, Wolf and Ben exchanged glances while Snake stood still.
'Uhhh what do you think guys, can he come with us?' Snake asked nervously, looking pleadingly at Wolf who clearly had no clue what to do. Wolf's mind ran with thoughts of what he read last night, how every time the teen was anywhere near this very bank he was forced into a mission.
If Alex was really willingly to go into the very bank that ruined his life, what did that say about his mindset. He chanced a glance at Fox, the man standing beside him, glaring at the bank and looking between the teen spy and the building.
Yassen returned to his room, entering to his hotel without an accident or unplanned death. He checked over his alarms, ensuring that there were still no wire-taps or intruders within his room. He moved around his room with purpose, moving to open an occasion curtain while closing others, he wiped down the area before retrieving his bag and taking a seat on the edge of his made bed.
He dropped his bag swiftly to the floor before which grabbing out his laptop and opening the device. He entered his passwords, effectively typing as to leave barely a finger print in case he was to ever lose the laptop. The laptop passed over the lock screen, opening instead a string of webpages and documents with information from Russia to the MI6 communications line and database.
He moved to minimise the tabs, focusing his attention to a few articles about a court proceeding in Russia.
"Solonik, also nicknamed Sasha Makedonsky because of his allegedly skilled shooting skills, was arrested for raping a woman. Hearing the court sentenced to eight years in jail, he pushed the escort staff, jumped through the windows of the second floor of the building and escaped" [1]
He read through the articles, quickly finding everything he'd need to know for his latest assignment. He looked into the woman raped, a young girl with short blond hair and bright green eyes. She didn't have anything special about her, no mafia parents or involvement with the world of espionage.
Yassen continued, looking through accounts of spotting and who the man seemed to working with. Past employers, past friends, family, hits. Within the man's time as an assassin they had determined he had killed 43 people. Yassen had killed 58. Sasha was renown, but because of it, that meant he couldn't do the real jobs, ones that would really get him killed.
Yassen reopened his taps in MI6, looking over the security footage only to spot the child spy he had just spoken with. The bloody child that he just complained about 'working' for MI6, was now standing right outside the main office of the head of MI6.
Alex entered the office with K-unit as they were invited in by Ms Jones, the woman giving Alex a look filled with pity as they walked in. The four SAS members sat down, while Alex took to standing beside Ms Jones who had stayed near the side of the office.
Blunt gave an odd look to Alex before moving his glaze to K-unit and beginning.
'So, men, you called last night, confirming that you'll take the assignment. Now as you read in the overview, you'll be staying with the target at a secure location for the duration of the mission. Food and any necessaries while be provided and delivered by agents from our team.' K-unit stayed silent, watching the man explain as he in return looked from the team and the teen spy also in the room. He looked to Ms Jones, getting a confirming nod before he continued.
'Now to limit liabilities you four, Ms Jones, myself and the Target will be the only people who will know where you will be. As I mentioned before the agents delivering, you're supplies will only know the location, though will not know who is inside or who you are. As you we've read the 'rules' to put it simply, one of them is to ensure the target is not to be visible or for that matter outside during any of these deliveries or when there are people nearby.' As Blunt spoke Alex couldn't help but wonder what the mission was that his past unit was getting. From the information provided obviously something with a target that was by the sounds of it being protected.
He looked across to K-unit, Snake and Eagle casting him concerned glances every few minutes. Ben and Wolf however remained with their eyes glued to either Blunt or the mission folder that Snake had been holding. He discreetly looked over Ms Jones as well, noticing that she was looking down at him with the same concerned eyes as Snake and Eagle.
Something was going on and he'd be damned if he didn't know what.
'What are we doing while protecting the target? you can't expect Al- the target to sit still while endanger.' Imposed Fox as he glanced towards Alex as he spoke before keeping his eyes to Blunt.
'From day to day Wolf will giving every one of your team jobs, from searching the perimeter to ensuring the target doesn't go outside. I don't care what goes on inside the house, just don't draw attention to the building and yourselves. To the public's knowledge, you're just four civilians sharing a house, they are not to know of the targets existence.' Blunt continued his speech, this time nodding to the men while Ms Jones made a move to the door.
'That'll be all, I'd like K-unit to head to Mr Smithers, Alex why don't you stay behind. We've encountered an issue with your caretaker.' K-unit moved from their seats, taking the assignment folder as they left, Ben casting a glare to Blunt and an encouraging look to Alex.
Alex's face twisted with confusion and fear, he had made the mistake of walking straight into Royal & General bank, a bank he knew was nothing but a faux for MI6. Yet still he had entered, feeling a strange untouchable freedom because his unit were by his side, because Fox hated MI6 and the unit would surely not let Blunt use him again.
That untouchable freedom disappeared when K-unit walked out the door and he was left with only Blunt and Ms Jones.
'Agent Rider take a seat, I've been told of some news that concerns you' Alex walked to a seat, slowly taking it because he honestly felt tired, he had had such an emotional rollercoaster this morning that he wanted nothing more than to return home, ask Jack for some lunch and sleep.
'Alex you know we have people watching your house, we have to make sure that nothing is happening and that you're safe' The teen spy gave out a short laugh, Ms Jones's words were considerate, but they only cared because they needed their child spy.
'What of it?' He threw at them, watching as Blunt gave out a sigh while his face took on an expression, one for some reason reminded him of a person loading a gun.
'Ms Starbright has been shot, she was killed instantly, probably didn't even feel it' Blunt continued to talk, saying something about their agents getting her body. But Alex's world only went silent.
[1] Snippet of an existing article about the death of Alexander Solonik (Sasha Makedonsky), "The tragic end of Russia's most infamous assassin"