a/n: Alex, Wolf and Yassen are going to be referred as Cub, Wolf and Hunter from this chapter on because that is what their identities are now.

Disclaimer: Everything recognizable belongs to Anthony Horowitz

Triple Threat

By: Steph (Kalinichenko19)

Chapter 4- Year Two/The Medallion

Last day on the Island

The boy that crept through the forest, keeping close to the wild ferns and the dirt ground below, was not the fourteen-year-old, English boy who had arrived on the island almost exactly two years earlier. No, now he was sixteen. He was taller and his shoulders broader. Alex had not only grown physically but mentally too. He had learnt everything his once peers had plus more material that they would not even think about until college. He had learned many languages; information on anything and everything had been drilled relentlessly into his head.

He'd given up fighting it long ago. There really was no point. Of course there were those days when Alex wanted to quit and go home, leaving MI6 and the crazy island behind forever but… the truth was, that when he thought about it, Triple Threat was pretty cool. Alex had grown closer to Wolf and Hunter (Yassen) over the two years they'd been stuck together on the island, they were better then friends to Alex then even his peers at school had once been. They just had more in common with each other. Odd things can happen when one is stuck with a person for two years without any other company.

This was a day that the three men had been waiting for, for exactly two years. Today was the day it all ended. Training ended and the real stuff began.

It didn't escape any of their minds that this was their chance to prove themselves, to prove that Alan Blunt and Tulip Jones had been right in what they had told them so long ago in the stuffy office room.

Neither Wolf, Hunter nor Cub were aware of the fact that Blunt and Mrs. Jones had already watched every day of their training in their comfy, warm and secure offices in England. But, they all three knew that today they were being watched and observed and if they failed to meet even one demand they would be subjected to another two years in hell.

As Cub moved swiftly and silently across the forest floor, he was aware of all those things. He pushed all thoughts about anything other then what he was doing from his mind. If he was to succeed then he would need his full concentration.

Cub froze at the sound of a planes engine overhead. He dropped instantly to the dirt ground and lay flat on his stomach among the ferns, tall grasses and forest plants. He covered his head with his hands and stayed very still. Cub waited until the planes engine was but a soft pure in the distance before climbing smoothly back to his feet. He readjusted the camouflage helmet that sat atop his head and brushed some of the dirt off of the front of his camouflage long sleeved, canvas shirts and pants.

As he walked forwards once again, his location and mission firmly in his head, his combat boot clad feet padded across the forests ground without a sound. He picked his way carefully around dried leaves, mud, puddles of water, rocks and sticks, anything that would make his presence known to the enemy.

Cub stopped once again when he spotted a figure that was partially behind a tree up ahead. The persons back was turned to him. Cub positioned his black, military gun across his chest, aiming it at the person incase it was an enemy.

Cub deliberately stepped on the stick that was in front of his feet. The small yet sharp snap sounded clear throughout the forest.

Cub allowed himself a small grin as he watched the back of the person tense upon hearing the twig snap in half. The person turned around and Cub quickly noted that it was neither Hunter nor Wolf. Before the man before him could even react to his presence, Cub squeezed his finger on the trigger of the gun and a yellow ball of paint sped forwards, splashing into the left side of the man's chest.

The man scowled a bit but sat down on the ground anyway.

The guns were loaded with paint balls and each man was given his own color of paint. Cub's color was yellow. If you were shot with a paint ball, you were "killed" or "severely wounded" and "died". You were then unable to get up and move about or talk to any of the others. Once the "mission" was complete, sergeants would enter the forest and take down notes of who had been "shot down" where and by whom.

There were two teams in the mock mission. One team consisted of Cub, Hunter and Wolf. The second team was made up of their teachers, several sergeants and anyone else that was on the island. Cub, Hunter and Wolf were terribly outnumbered.

The mission was to retrieve a necklace that held a valuable, gold pendant. The pendant was located somewhere in the middle of the forest, locked in a small safe that was guarded heavily. Cub had succeeded in taking down five members of the opposing team so far.

Cub did not, however, know what had become of Hunter and Wolf. Unlike the opposing team, who were stationed inside the forest early in the day, Cub, Hunter and Wolf were taking over the forest in a plane and had to parachute down at random spots, alone. They were each given a map and the trio had devised a meeting spot that was neither too close nor too far from their final destination.

The only rule upon entering the forest had been not to fire at an opponents face. You could hit the helmet but not the unprotected face. No one was meant to actually be hurt in the training round. They had all been told to just go into the forest and get their job down as efficiently and cleanly as possible. There was also the well know rule that once you were "dead" you could not speak and there were no hostages and you could not communicate with people not on your team.

Cub consulted his map quickly and then checked the compass that was clipped to his belt. After finding north, Cub shifted slightly until he was facing north east. He dropped the compass once again and it hit against his leg lightly and he set off, leaving the "fallen" man behind, the bright yellow paint splattered across his chest.

As he walked through the forest, Cub's attentive eyes carefully scoured his surroundings for anything out of the ordinary. He knew the forest like the back of his own hand but booby traps would undoubtedly have been added for this last training exercise. Obstacles in the forest were constantly to changing to insure that Hunter, Cub or Wolf didn't get too comfortable with their surroundings or too cocky.

Cub stopped as something glinted before his face. He looked around but couldn't spot anyone. He looked forwards again and there it was. Something glinted. The sun hit off of whatever it was and flashed a small array of rainbow colors. Cub looked down at the ground and noticed that his toes were right on the edge of a pile of scattered leaves and ferns. He reached his hand out to where he had seen the glint and the tips of his fingers lightly found a string of metal. He looked up and almost laughed aloud. They were right under a tree. It just couldn't be any easier.

Careful not to step on the pile of leaves, Cub moved deftly around the trap and picked up a large rock. He carried it back to the pile of debris and dropped it right in the middle. Cub jumped back and it took a moment for anything to happen. Cub watched with a raised eyebrow as the pile of leaves and forest debris finally fell to the side as a net came up from the ground, trapping the rock and flying up to hang suspended halfway between the ground and the top of the tree. Excess leaves floated down from the net to land at Cub's feet.

Cub looked around once more for the people that would have assembled the rig. There was a slight commotion behind the tree and four people stumbled out in shock and surprise to look at the net. Cub ducked behind a bush and watched as the four people, three men and one woman, watched as the rock swung back and forth in the net in confusion. The four had not the sense to even raise their guns and were all too easily "killed" by Cub.

The four sat on the forest floor and Cub stepped away from his spot behind the bush. The four adults pouted when they saw that they had been "taken down" by a mere sixteen-year-old but remained silent all the same.

Cub felt that maybe it wasn't completely fair seeing as he had just "gunned down" his Spanish, Ukrainian, Italian and mathematics teachers but their was a strange sense of power from "killing" his teachers. Cub quickly continued on his way, checking his surroundings more carefully then the last time. He had come close to capture and primarily defeat. He'd never here the end of it if Hunter and Wolf found him swinging in the air.

Cub finally made it to the large tree that had been agreed on as their meeting spot. Cub looked around with his experienced eyes, moving fast but not missing a thing. He saw neither Hunter nor Wolf. Cub stepped further into the clearing and raised his gun, on the off chance that Hunter and Wolf had been found here and "killed". He walked slowly around the tree but didn't see either of his partners. He looked up into the leafy fortress but found neither man there either.

He stopped under the tree and looked around with a frown. He had been sure that Wolf and Hunter would have already been there. Or at least one would have beaten him there.

Cub stopped his thinking and searching when he felt something hit his helmet with a soft 'ping' and then bounce to the ground. He glanced down to his feet and picked up a small pebble. Several more pebbles bounced off of his helmet and he looked up. Wolf and Hunter were perched on a branch that hung over Cub's head. They both dropped nimbly to their feet and grinned at Alex.

"If we were the enemy you would have been dead, Cub," Hunter chided him cheerfully, dropping a handful of rocks back to the ground. Wolf reciprocated the action.

Cub rolled his eyes; he was used to Hunter's teasing manner. "Good thing you're not the enemy then," was how Cub replied, using a low voice. "And good luck killing me with little pebbles," Cub added just for good measure. Cub ducked behind Wolf as Hunter pelted another pebble at him, the pebble soared harmlessly over Wolf's shoulder to land with a small 'plop' in a puddle of water.

"We're being timed on this, you know," Wolf cut in before Hunter could say or do anything else. "How many men have you taken down, Cub?"

Cub turned his attention back to Wolf and he was focused on the task that lay ahead once again. "Nine."

"Good," Wolf nodded in approval. "I've gotten ten and Hunter's gotten seven."

Cub found it amusing that the former assassin was the one to "kill" the least amount of people. Hunter noticed Cub's expression and was quick to defend himself, "They dropped me off closest to the tree, I only got the ones guarding it."

"Where are the bodies?" Cub looked around with a frown, not seeing any.

"They weren't right near the tree, a ways off a bit; I caught them on my way here."

"Oh."

"Run into any traps, Cub?" Wolf quizzed Cub some more. Wolf was one of those people that were all fun and games when he wasn't working but as soon as he was working he quickly became serious and attentive.

"One, it wasn't a very good one though," Cub quickly recounted the tale of finding the trap and "killing" his four teachers.

Even Wolf had to laugh softly. "You'd think that they'd bring in some people that knew what the hell they were doing for this."

"You'd think," Hunter echoed.

"We should get going," Wolf started. "The sooner we get this done with the sooner we get back to civilization."

"Let's go!" Cub agreed enthusiastically.

"Yes, I wonder if they'll give a small break," Hunter wondered allowed.

"Hopefully," Wolf seconded.

"What do we do now?" Cub turned to the two older men.

"I've already seen the spot they're guarding the medallion," Wolf said. "They dropped me off almost right on top of it. No one saw me though and I didn't stop to take down any of the guards. There were about twenty guards, I'd say. They're not all stationed right around the safe that holds the medallion, they're more scattered through the trees around it. I say we stick together from now until we just about get to the medallion, then we split up and attack from three sides, keeping quiet so as we're not spotted unless absolutely necessary. If you see a man don't hesitate, just shoot them, just make sure that it's none of us first," Wolf added wryly.

"That would be bad," Hunter agreed with a small grin. "Especially when they count the number of "dead" bodies and see one of our colors on a team mate."

"Exactly," Wolf agreed before continuing his plan. Wolf had been unofficially named the leader in the trio. "Cub and Hunter, you will take care of the guards around the outside of the clearing, you will meet after you have both cleaned through a half. I will take care of the guards closer to center. After you find each other, you will both make your way to the clearing, where I should already be. Cub, you will figure out the combination to open the safe since you are the best out of the three of us at that stuff, "Cub nodded his okay, "while Hunter and myself watch you back. We will guard you at all costs and if need be, sacrifice ourselves so that you can get the medallion out. As soon as you touch it, the game is over."

"Right," Cub said.

"Watch for traps and such on the way," Hunter warned. "Once we leave this spot there won't be anymore talking."

"Exactly," Wolf agreed. "As they said, finish quickly and efficiently. This is our chance to impress the bosses, unless of course you'd like to stay here for another two years," Wolf raised an eyebrow. Cub and Hunter shook their heads firmly, both firmly set on completing the task. "Right, then we'll go now, make sure not to leave any mark that we've been somewhere and move silently."

It had become a custom for them to repeat the most basic and beginner rules just incase someone did slipped up and make an amateurs mistake there was no one to take blame but that person. Of course, neither Hunter, Wolf nor Cub had made any stupid, little mistakes for quite a longtime.

They all made their agreement known.

Wolf, Cub and Hunter moved stealthily off into the forest. Wolf was in the lead with Hunter and Cub coming up on either of his sides, just a few feet back and farther to the side. The moved in a way that was similar to the formation the Blue Angels flew, in a sort of triangle.

They used the cover of trees and bushes and wild plants to their advantage they moved silently across the ground, avoiding any obstacle or natural element that could possibly alert their enemy of their presence. They each held their paint filled gun at a ready position so that they would be able to defend themselves and each other as fast as the situation called for it.

After they had walked nearly a half mile in silence, Wolf put his arms out to signal Hunter and Cub to cease their movement. Wolf crept off into the forest a little ways and was soon out of sight from the other two. Hunter and Cup quickly took shelter behind bushes and awaited the return of Wolf.

Wolf returned several minutes later. Hunter and Cub abandoned their hiding spots and Wolf nodded at them, silently telling them that the way was clear. Wolf raised one and held his hand up so that his palm faced the ground. That was their signal to keep low to the ground and to watch their back, they had entered enemy territory.

Once Wolf had finished completing his message using the silent gestures the three had come up with together, he started back into the woods, the way he had just come from. Hunter and Cub fell back into their triangular formation behind him.

They continued until they came upon the "fallen" figures of two guards. The two guards sat side by side, leaning their backs against a tree, silently watching the forest. They each sported a blob of orange paint on their chests. Their eyes watched intently as Wolf directed Hunter and Cub into the clearing before stopping them once again.

Wolf signaled Hunter to move off to the right side. Wolf and Cub watched in silence as Hunter moved off into the trees. Hunter was soon engulfed from the others sight and Wolf turned to Cub. Wolf pointed to his left, the signal for Cub to go left. Cub nodded his head slightly and set off to the left.

Cub soon noticed the pattern for how the guards were placed. About every twenty yards or so, there were two guards stationed. The forest provided Cub with enough cover to be able to aim and shoot his enemies successfully. A few guards took a shot at him but Cub was able to avoid all flying balls of paint. The guards, on the other hand, weren't quite so fortunate.

Cub kept his eyes alert for booby traps and disabled one more hidden net and two stick covered ditches. Every guard that was in his path was now seated on their butt in the dirt, a nice, big, yellow paint splatter on their chest or, if he was sure he wouldn't miss, on the helmet.

Cub was beginning to feel that it had been much too easy.

Cub figured that he must be ending his half of the circle but stayed deep within the cover the forest provided for him.

He thought he heard the rustle of leaves up ahead and quickly dropped down to the ground. Cub pulled himself forwards, under the bushes and ferns and various other plants using his elbows and his knees. He paused briefly as he felt a thorn tear across his cheek. He swiped his hand across his cheek quickly, hardly glancing at the sticky, wet blood that was glistening there. He started on his mission once again, wiping the blood away with his hand whenever he could feel it start to trickle down his cheek.

Cub finally stopped his forward movement when the bushes became fewer and farer between. He stayed safely under the last patch of bushes. Cub looked around and quickly took in his surroundings. There were no guards that were visible to him from his spot stretched out on the ground.

The sharp chirping of a bird cut through the eerie silence that filled the forest. Cub waited a moment and the chirping stopped. Several seconds passed and the chirping started again. Cub tentatively let out a little bark that could be identified as that of a small wolfs or a small dogs. A 'cub's' if you will. The bird chirped again and stopped after a second.

Hunter stepped from around the back of a tree and Cub drug himself out from under the bushes with his arms. He jumped to his feet and brushed the dirt off of his front and wiping the blood away from his cheek again.

Hunter gave Cub a silent, questioning look and touched his own cheek. Cub shook his head to dismiss all "questions" about his cheek.

As Hunter and Cub walked through the forest, they watched for any guards that Wolf might have missed on his rounds. They passed a number of disabled traps and even more guards seated on the ground, orange paint splattered on various places of their bodies. All the "fallen" guards watched silently as Hunter and Cub passed them, not sparing them so much as a glance.

Hunter and Cub did not stop until they reached the edge of the clearing. The stayed carefully behind several trees to keep their cover and looked out into the clearing. Wolf sat on the top of a small safe that was in the middle of the field. His gun was poised and he kept looking around. Wolf's eyes locked on the spot where Hunter and Cub stood. Wolf let out a low, Wolf like growl that he followed with a howl.

There was a moment of silence and the wind rustled through the trees over their heads. Cub returned Wolf's call with a sharp bark, one that could have been issued by an actual wolf cub.

Cub and Hunter watched Wolf. He stood up and did a final survey of the surrounding woods. Wolf fired his gun several times and orange paint splattered on the trees. The gun only released a small click every time it was fired. Wolf paused a moment to see if someone would respond to his fires but nothing came. He signaled to Hunter and Cub that it was safe for them to enter the clearing.

Hunter and Cub joined Wolf in the center by the safe. Cub immediately knelt on the ground before the safe and fingered the combination lock. He glanced behind himself quickly and saw Wolf take a ready stance behind him. Hunter took up a similar stance in front of Cub. Both men raised their guns and pointed them into the forest.

Cub turned back to the safe and heaved the safe onto its side, checking the bottom for numbers. He then checked the sides of the safe. The first move he had been taught to make. Odds were that he would not find the combination on the actual safe but it was always wiser to check. Cub found a series of three double digit numbers on the back of the safe in small, raised numbers in the bottom corner. Cub quickly and expertly spun the numbers into the lock but was not rewarded with the click of it opening. He tried the handle once anyway and found it locked tight.

Cub then leant his head close to the combination lock and ran his fingers over the smooth, black substance, looking for numbers that weren't there. He glanced around quickly and saw no one from the opposing team coming so he tried a few random number combinations. Nothing worked.

"Hurry it up, Cub," Wolf hissed in a low voice from behind him.

Cub remained silent. Hunter glanced in Cub's direction quickly before his assertive eyes returned to the forest and the trees ahead. The afternoon sun shone bright over their heads and Cub worked quickly. He checked everything he could think of for numbers. He tossed his map moodily to the side upon finding nothing upon it.

"Hurry," Hunter said quickly. His eyes fixed on a spot in the woods. Wolf's eyes were also fixed on a spot in front of him.

Cub paused for a moment, fresh out of ideas for what to do. "I've got it!" he exclaimed softly as an idea struck him. He fumbled momentarily in his pockets for the picture of the medallion they had each been given. Cub ignored the picture; it was just a hunk of gold in a circle with some symbols on it. He looked on the bottom of the medallion, looking for a serial number, any number that could possibly open the safe. There wasn't anything there. As a last effort, Cub turned the picture over and prayed there was something on the back.

And there was his combination. It faint, orange letters, the date the picture was taken. Cub dropped the picture to the dirt after committing the combination to memory.

A tremendous roar arose from all sides and more players dressed from head to toe in black swarmed into the clearing. Black balls of paint flew everywhere.

"Shit," Wolf growled and he and Hunter tried to defend themselves and Cub. Orange and red balls of paint flew across the clearing, taking down a good portion of the oncoming army. "Now would be a good time to open that safe up, Cub!" he yelled loudly.

"I've almost got it!" Cub returned. As he spun the first two numbers in. the third number was in the safe clicked open. Cub threw the safes door open as fast as he could and looked it. He groaned. It was filled with multicolored Styrofoam peanuts. He dug them out like a dog would dig a hole in the ground. The multicolored Styrofoam pieces flew behind him as Cub took them out.

A quick glance told him that Wolf and Hunter were both still standing but neither man could last long against the sheer amount of people that were know firing at the three of them. Hunter and Wolf easily dodged most of the paintballs but wouldn't move from where they stood around Cub.

A black ball of paint burst on the back of the safe and Cub felt the wet paint splatter his face. He hadn't technically been "hit" so he continued his work. He felt on the bottom of the safe and pulled out a package wrapped in bubble wrap. Another paintball filled with black paint hit the safe and Cub worked faster. He pulled the bubble wrap off and tore through the small, cardboard box. There was only a plastic, Ziploc bag between him and his goal now.

Cub's fingers pulled back the seal on the bag.

On of the guards in black raised his gun and aimed it at Cub. He had a surprisingly clear shot. His finger tightened on the trigger and the gun spat out a black ball of paint with a small click.

Wolf saw it before Hunter.

Wolf stepped in front of Cub.

Black paint splattered onto Wolf's thigh.

Wolf slowly sat down to the ground but he took three other men down with him, firing off his gun until the very last moment.

"I've got it!" Cub yelled and yanked the medallion out of the plastic baggie at last.

A loud buzzer sounded as soon as Cub's fingers met with the cool gold. Everyone in the clearing stopped what they were doing and the guns ceased their chatter. The last of the paintballs flew and the last of the "dead" "fell".

The clearing was silent. A sergeant came and took down the fallen and the still standing. Once the sergeant retreated back into the woods Hunter and Cub made their way over to where Wolf sat in the dirt. Wolf got to his feet and looked in disgust at the wet paint dripping down his thigh.

"Sorry 'bout that, Wolf," Cub said sincerely.

Wolf shrugged. "We said we'd sacrifice ourselves for you if it was necessary. You almost had the medallion and it only hit my leg. If it was real life, I'd still be alive. Thank God you were kneeling down though," Wolf grinned.

Cub held the medallion up over his head and Wolf and Hunter looked at it. the sun glinted off of the gold.

"To civilization!" Cub yelled at the top of his lungs. "To a day off!"

Wolf and Hunter echoed Cub's 'toast' with loud whoops of joy. The guards could only watch in grim fascination, too fatigued to even get off the ground if they were there. Some were covered in multiple paint spots, both red and orange.

"TO CIVILIZATION! TO A DAY OFF!"

a/n: so? I don't like the first few paragraphs but when it starts on Cub in the woods I think it gets better. All in all, it was an okay chapter. I know some of you will disagree with me on that. It was fun to write though. The next chapter includes Hunter, Wolf and Cub's meeting with Blunt and Jones and then their free day in London! That will be fun, guess why! I caught myself saying 'Alex' instead of 'Cub' a bunch of times but I might have missed it in some places. Still trying to get used to typing 'Cub'. Sorry I haven't got time for editing. Hope you liked this chapter! Review! -Steph