Built for Espionage: Epilogue Two

Eight Months After Chapter Seventeen

When Alex first moved into Ben Daniels' house, he hadn't actually expected anything big or fancy. And he was right in one area, the house wasn't traditional (thankfully) or decorated with overly expensive furniture. But the house was big.

'It's only a three-bedroom, three-bathroom house- but we'll make it work right Alex' Ben had explained the house to him countless times, answering every one of Alex's questions no matter how odd it was.

'Do you have a backyard?'

'Yes'

'Does it have a fence?'

'Certainly does'

'Is there a park nearby your house?'

'About two blocks away there's Bramham Gardens and Gloucester Parks not far either'

'Train station?'

'Earl's Court, it'll be a 9-minute trip to South Kensington, which is the closest station to Brookland' Standard overthinking teen questions Ben could do, it was questions he didn't know the answer to that he feared Alex would ask.

'Any safe bike tracks from your house to Brookland?' What even? Ben gave a sign of defeat.

'Not a clue Cub, sorry' Alex was on his phone in the next second and before Ben could even ask, Alex was flipping his phone around and showing a plotted route from his house to Brookland Comprehensive School, just over a ten minute ride, mostly through streets and only having Alex take one brief ride along a main road.

'That works well'

'Yeah, though I'll probably make a longer route- ten minutes on my bike really isn't long enough'

So, when Alex had moved in, Alex had completely forgotten that he had been told the house at least bigger than the Rider house that Ian had lived in. It was two stories, excluding the large attic which Alex had explored within the first month with Ben. It took less then a week back at school before Tom was visiting, the boy even sleeping over a few times and before Ben knew it he was using the second spare bedroom for whenever K-unit slept over.

It was seven months since Ben and Alex got out of hospital, eight months since the Sasha kidnapping, that Alex and Ben had an unexpected visitor (because each time K-unit or Tom visited, it was no longer a surprise, it was to be expected that someone else would be in Ben's house other then Ben and Alex).

'It's like eleven at night, who visits that late-' Asked Ben, getting up from the couch where he and Alex were watching a movie.

'And without calling' Dropped Alex, the teen knew it at least wasn't Tom- his friend always texted first, even if it was only five minutes before knocking on their door. Alex also felt like crossing K-unit off the list being as the men only ever came over after work, in the afternoon, and had not once dropped by later than even nine.

Suddenly Alex wasn't sure if it was someone safe, what if the few months of freedom were about to end- what if it was someone who planned to kill Ben.

'Don't answer it!' He cried out, jumping up from the couch and ducking into the hallway that led to the front door, the front door that was very open.

'Something you wanted to tell me Alex?' asked Ben as he cautiously stepped away from the door and let their surprise guest into the house.

'He didn't know I was coming Daniels' Alex shot him a thankful but still shocked glance, it was definitely his fault that he was here, but he honestly had no idea that the man would be dropping by for a visit. Ben gave out a sigh and lead Yassen through the hallway and into the kitchen, smiling gently to Alex so that he followed.

'You're being grounded' Yassen announced to Alex as he stood by the counter while Ben grabbed himself a drink. However, at the assassin's words both Ben and Alex sent the man confusion and mildly annoyed expressions.

'For what?' Alex argued not only was Yassen not his guardian, but he was also an assassin and had disappeared since his visit to Ben and Alex in St. Dominic's Hospital. Ben though was starting to look mildly amused, happily ignored in the conversation as he took a drink.

'Not taking the shot' Both froze at his words again, not taking the shot- as in not shooting someone, with a gun. Alex's mind fell to their confrontation of Sasha and how Yassen had, had to take the shot to save Wolf. Only then did he remember the man's promise that they'd be talking about it in the future.

'Seriously? That mission was eight months ago' And he hadn't wanted to shoot Sasha, even if it meant Wolf got a little blood loss, it wasn't something he should do. Yassen seemed to disagree.

'And you've been grounded. For a week. You're welcome.'

'Okay, lets slow down here, Yassen what are you talking about- I'm assuming this is something that happened during the Sasha kidnapping situation?' Ben's objection quickly gained Alex's gratitude, Ben was SAS trained, surely the man would agree that Alex shouldn't be grounded for something that was wrong to do for any normal kid.

Yassen quickly explained what had happened when he, Wolf and Alex had taken the back door. Ben simply listened and clearly understood what Yassen's reasoning was, however, he took a minute before speaking.

'Okay I understand Yassen that the situation heightened your concern for Alex's ability to take care of himself, he it just been he and Sasha and Alex wasn't able to save himself it would have been terrible and quite possibly lead to- a severe injury' Alex knew Ben and Yassen meant his death, and he agreed if Sasha had known that Alex wouldn't go willingly with him, he would have just killed Alex.

'But you were there Yassen, so was Wolf, you were the adults in the situation and therefore- even when the child is highly trained, you were responsible for his safety and you took the right measures shooting Sasha.' Ben continued taking a glance towards the internationally assassin who he was telling what to do now. 'But I'm- we're all trying to let Alex lead a normal life, that means if anything he should be encouraged not to shoot someone, even in that position. He's just fourteen Yassen' Alex heard the suddenly adopted tone before Ben was shooing him back to the lounge room, where he more than likely wouldn't be able to hear them as Yassen and Ben walked back out into the hallway to continue the conversation.

The imagine of two parents discussing came to mind, Ben was his caregiver and guardian, and Yassen was his unofficial weird distant uncle. But the idea of Ben the SAS and MI6 agent, and Yassen an internationally renown assassin, arguing about whether he should be grounded or not was something far too weird.

The hour that followed was filled just strangely domestic actions, Yassen let go of his plan to ground Alex and decided to watch the movie with them. They'd all joked about the realism of the movie, Alex had served a strange mix of dessert before they finished the movie.

'Up to bed Alex, it's already midnight and I know Tom wants to come over tomorrow' Alex went to blindly follow the orders from Ben, because that's the sort of routine they had started. Ben was his guardian, and maybe he was weird for a teenager, but he liked having a makeshift parent who made sure he brushed his teeth and wasn't in bed too late. He only paused when he saw the faint smirk on Yassen's lips. Smug assassin.

Yet still Alex ignored the man and went upstairs to get ready for bed, who cares if he had changed from a defiant teenager spy to a happy to follow teenager. He finally had an MI6 free life- excluding Ben's part-time work with the new director, he would rather have this life than one he lived in resent and fear for not only his life but Jack's. A life that had gotten her killed.

'He's changed hasn't he' Posed Ben, the MI6 agent got up from the couch, picking up two of the three bowls as he spoke, motioning for Yassen to grab the third bowl.

'He has, I hope it's for the better' Yassen picked up the bowl and followed Ben through to the kitchen where they both tucked the bowls and cutlery into the dish washer and closed it.

'Same, but I think he is, Alex use to be so difficult for any of us to read- but now, he's so open. Sure he's still a teenager and he's still got secrets, but he's been sharing with me more, you know I check his homework now, that's something I hadn't ever expected in my life' Ben admitted, giving a breathless sigh he met the icy blue eyes of the assassin beside him.

'And as much as I don't think I like that idea of my… son I guess, hanging around with an assassin, I think if you could make sure that world doesn't know. I'd be happy for you to visit Alex, I know he likes having you around' Ben convinced himself as he spoke, yes he wanted Yassen to spend time with Alex, he knew that the man had been friends with Alex's dad, and that Alex was more than likely hoping to hold onto some of the good parts of his last life. Ben only worried for the world Yassen may be reintroducing Alex to fi something went wrong.

'But if something happens, or you even think that someone might know about your favour towards Alex, you tell me- you make sure we know, MI6 is still willing to protect him and maybe this time they could do it right. You make sure no one finds out though, I won't have Alex in that life unless he wants to return- after he's at least eighteen.'

'Agreed Daniels'

'I thought you forgot about me, that or you decided you were done' Called Alex from where was stuffing a few school books into his school bag. Alex school shirt hung on his door handle, ironed and ready for Monday, which was still two days away, but Alex had decided that he wanted to avoid school prep or homework on Sundays.

'Never' Responded Yassen as he entered the bedroom, one that was bigger than Alex's room in the Chelsea house. It was spacious enough, and yet the teenager had already managed to filled the room everything from posters to school things and sporting gear.

'You and Ben on good terms?' Alex questioned as he turned after zipping up his bag and found the assassin, who was looking absently at his pin board where a few photos and little notes were hanging. A few photos of he and Tom, one with Sabina, and notes that Ben had left him- from old funny warnings that K-unit was coming over for the night, to messages that wished him luck for a test or presentation.

'We are, your guardian has grown rather fond of you very quickly I must say'

'That's Ben, he and Snake were pretty indifferent to me when we first met, but after our mission together- well I guess he had hopes to look out for me'

'He'll do a good job' Yassen reassured Alex, he turned away from the pinboard and looked to the fourteen-year-old before, nearly the spitting imagine of his friend.

'You leaving? Going to use some of those old moves and knock off a few mafia bosses' Inquired Alex and Yassen had to remind himself that this boy had once been in the depths of the criminal world, and yet he still believed Yassen only took out mafia bosses.

'I have moves you've never heard of little Alex' He chuckled as he spoke, the boy was still just that- a boy. Yes, he had trained with SCORPIA and the boy he visited hell; it was purgatory take the boy hadn't even touched. Yassen smiled, Alex could still grow up a normal teenager- even with his experiences, he wasn't too far gone.

'Yeah, because you're basically a senior citizen' Just how old did Alex think he was? He shot a light glare to the boy before Ben was making his way into the room.

'Okay you two, I don't need two children, night Alex' Called Ben as he motioned for Yassen to conclude his visit, and Ben left the room after Alex returned the good night pleasantries.

'I'll visit again little Alex, goodnight' Without hearing a response he left the room, swiftly pulling the door closed behind him as he went. He met Ben with a nod before he returned downstairs and left the house.

Alex Rider's life was as normal as it could be. An ex-SAS and current MI6 agent for a guardian, three SAS family friends, a single strange teenage friend and an assassin for an uncle. As was such in the Rider family.