Summary: This fanfiction replaced the chapter in Snakehead when the SAS infiltrate Dragon Nine. Ben has been shot, and the bomb was detonated. Alex landed on Major Yu's corpse.

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Alex yelped and rolled off of the still-warm flesh. Shaking slightly, he moved to beside Ben's unconscious figure. Leaning against the wall beside him, Alex tried to calm down. The medic looked at him for a moment, then shook his head and went back to applying pressure to Ben's wounds. The explosion jostled everyone, but luckily no serious harm was done.

It looked like there was nothing to do until backup- and the ride back- arrived.

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On the plane ride back, Alex sat beside Scooter so that Scooter could make sure he didn't fall asleep; if Alex did, he could slip into a coma.

Scooter seemed to think the best way to keep someone awake was to hold a conversation.

"So, Alex, pray tell, who are you?"

"I'm Alex Rider. I come from Britain. I'm fully conscious, Scooter; look at my open and moving eyes!"

"I know that they're open, but how can I tell if you're awake unless I ask?" Alex glared at him in response. Scooter sighed before continuing. "Well, it's easier in this lighting to listen to your voice." A short silence reigned- Alex had to admit that was true.

"Will Ben be alright?"

"I don't know." Scooter looked over at Ben. He had an oxygen mask strapped to his face and an IV coming out of his arm. It didn't look good, and neither did the other 4 injured men; the 2 bodies were covered. "With a bit of leave, I think he'll be okay. Our training officers always told us stories about how they got shot and still went into battle, although some said that's why they now train others; they can't fight anymore. But Ben's younger and really good at what he does- he'll be fine."

Alex nodded for a moment, and winced imperceptibly at the dizziness that resulted. "What about," Alex hesitated, "the other guy in the control room? What's going to happen to him?"

"Why does it matter to us? He's not a threat anymore, that's what's important. Ben pistol-whipped him pretty hard, though." Ash wasn't on this helicopter. Another 'clean-up crew' had arrived with the SAS chopper, and they would handle 'leftovers'.

"Wait, what did Ben do?"

"You saw- oh wait, you were out." Scooted seemed mildly surprised for no reason. "Uh, Ben got pretty mad at that guy after he found out what happened. Him pistol-whipping you, I mean. So Ben pistol-whipped the other guy. I don't think he killed him."

"Huh." Alex looked over at Ben's figure on the other end of the helicopter. "Still, what's going to happen to that guy?"

Scooter cocked an eyebrow at Alex. "You're awfully curious about the guy who just KOed you." Scooter paused for a moment. "I suppose I would be too. Well, the ASIS will probably interrogate him thoroughly, find out what he knows about all of this, etc. Then he'll probably be locked up for a long while, probably after a trial." Scooter smiled at Alex. "I don't think you'll be called to the witness stand, though." Alex half returned the smile, wishing his family wasn't as involved in the spy world as they were.

"Thanks, Scooter."

"Well, don't thank me yet- we still have another half hour before we reach base."

Alex groaned. Another half hour of interrogation from Scooter.