Summary: This fanfiction replaced the chapter in Snakehead when the SAS infiltrate Dragon Nine. Alex has entered the control room alone, and Ben is looking for him.

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Major Yu smiled, but his eyes showed the continued shock. "I was wondering, after we couldn't find your body in the waters. How did you survive?"

"The devil must love me. But give up, Yu. The reef island conference has been canceled, and the ASIS knows it was you."

Yu considered that for a moment. "There's a world of profits for the Snakehead following any war- or catastrophe, I should say. I think I'll make my mark on the world, Alex." Alex was revolted by the man's absolute disregard for life. Yu pulled out his pistol.

"Well, Ash, because you're one of my most trusted employees, would you like to explain yourself first?" Ash nodded, his expression unreadable.

"I'm sorry, Alex." Smiling sadly for a moment, he asked, "Surprised?"

Alex stalled as best he could. "No, not really. I guessed. The entire mission was a snafu from the start. It was like the Snakehead knew our every move- and about me, too. I got put in that Bangkok fight- and Mr. Sukit spoke in English and French to me. If he thought I was a real Afghan boy, he'd never speak in those languages. It was strange, but then it went from bad to worse. Ash's emergency telephone number took me straight to you- and you took 2 of my gadgets away. Those were the two I told Ash about- my belt and my watch. If I'd mentioned the explosive coins, they would've vanished too, I suppose." Alex paused. "Why did you work for Scorpia, Ash?"

Ash gazed emotionlessly at Alex. "After Mdina, Blunt humiliated me. I had given my health- no, my life to MI6, and he didn't care. He told me what I already knew. I would never be as good as your dad."

Major Yu grinned suddenly and lowered his pistol. "Why don't you tell Alex the rest of it, Ash?"

Ash's emotionless face twitched revealing... grief and shame? It was hard to tell. "Alex, I..." Ash trailed off, his eyes imploring Alex to stop him.

"I think I know." Alex bowed his head and closed his eyes. "You killed my parents, didn't you." It wasn't a question. "You planted that bomb on the plane, so you could join Scorpia. And now, you'll kill me."

Ash spoke softly, undercurrents of regret, sadness, shame, and grief riding his voice. "That's right, Alex."

Yu put in his two cents. "Kill him, Ash."

Alex was out for the count.

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Ben was sneaking around with the other 4 men, listening carefully. They were approaching the supposed control room. Scooter went ahead with X-Ray following, indicating they would be in the front lines. But they didn't go in right away.

Scooter pressed his ear to the door, then motioned to the others. They gathered, and Scooter whispered, "I think I hear voices in there- but I can't distinguish who's speaking or what they're saying."

X-Ray chewed his lip. "If it's Alex, then we might get a hostage situation, but that's no good... if we wait too long, then Alex might-"

A gunshot rang out from the room.