Wow, guys! The sheer amount of people who put this story on alert astounds me! Thanks so much! Here's chapter two! The longest chapter I've ever written, clocking in at a mere 2,313 words. The next chapter won't be as long...so don't expect too much. It will be posted shortly after this - as they somewhat go together. As always, thanks to my beta: SamayouTamashi and Malipo. (WINK!) Also, special street cred goes out to my friend Dave for the info about all the shiny gun stuff. _
It isn't often that I am home in order to help out a friend in need. Usually, I'm the last consideration, as I'm frequently out of the country "on business." That why, when Snake called me and asked me to pick up his daughter at school, I jumped at the chance.
After gathering all the information I would need to pick her up and get her to the doctor's office, Josh called the school and informed them that I was coming instead. I looked up the directions and temporarily succumbed to bug-eyes.
"She goes to Brookland?"
Josh turned his head to look at Alex. "Is that a problem?"
Alex glanced back down at the directions, "No. No problem. I just didn't know. I went there, you know, before MI6 pulled me out to work for them." According to the map, it would only take him seven minutes to get to the school. Working out the math in his head, he realized he had about half an hour before he had to leave. He looked up again when he realized Snake was still talking. "What did you say?"
"I didn't realize you knew of the school. Can you still do it or should I ask Eagle?"
Alex snorted. "It's almost offensive that you consider Ryan to be an acceptable alternative to me picking Cassandra up from school." Alex rolled his eyes. "I'll go get her, don't worry." I considered the logistics of his school days. It had been six years since I had last stepped foot on Brookland soil. When I had turned fifteen, Jack had left and returned to the States. She claimed she couldn't handle the pressure. I understood, but still felt betrayed. As the one person I had left, I felt she should have tried harder to stand up to MI6. Doesn't matter now, it's in the past. Anyway, after my fifteenth birthday, right after I had returned from Africa, I had a few weeks stay of execution before MI6 pulled me out of the school for good. I didn't know if returning there would be the best of ideas, considering I left in a whirlwind of uncertainty and secrecy, but I had promised Snake I would do so.
I nodded to Josh as he walked out the door with a passing "thanks," and grabbed my keys and wallet to let myself out as well. Many years ago, he had provided me with a key to his house on the highly likely chance that he wouldn't be home when I stopped by. Using it now, I locked the front door and sank into the driver's seat of my car. Hands gripping the steering wheel of my jet black Audi R8, I took my time starting the car. I really didn't want to arrive too early.
I couldn't imagine any of my old teachers still working at the school. When you think about it, no one really ever thinks their old teachers will still be there. Everyone likes to think that once they leave, the teachers move on with their lives and retire. I knew this wasn't the case, but I hoped visiting Brookland wouldn't cause any trouble…for me or any of the students.
I pushed the button to start up my car and slowly pulled out of the driveway. Driving this car was such a joy. Truth be told, not having anyone chasing me was the best part. It wasn't often I got to enjoy the subtle vibrations of my Audi engine beneath my feet. I glanced down at my directions and made my way to Brookland without breaking the speeding laws once. Bliss.
I pulled into a visitor parking spot at the school and glanced at my watch. Despite following traffic laws, I was five minutes early. Shrugging, I got out of my car and strode to the front visitor's entrance. I pushed the obnoxious buzzer and was let into the building with instructions to stop at the front desk to sign in. I pushed in the door and low-and-behold, who should be there but Miss. Bedfordshire. She looked older, as tends to happen. Now in her early thirties, time had been good to her. Without looking up she stated, "Fill out your name, reason for visiting, and a description of your car so we don't tow it accidentally," and pushed a clipboard at me.
Grinning, I grabbed it and said, "Thanks Miss Bedfordshire," and sat down.
She wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion and looked up. Recognition slowly dawned in her eyes as she looked over my face. Her face assumed a frown.
"Mr. Rider. You've been gone for six years. What's your excuse this time? Chicken pox?"
Wincing, I grinned ruefully and rubbed the back of my neck. "Right, uhhh…"
Letting me off the hook, she smiled lightly at me. "Welcome back. What can I do yah for?"
"I'm here to pick up Cassandra McMan for a doctor's appointment. Her father called to tell you that he couldn't make it and I was coming in his stead."
Reacting to my professionalism, the secretary turned to her computer quickly and typed in some information. "Unfortunately," she stated as she continued to type, "our office assistant is out with the flu today." At this, she stopped typing and looked at me. "At least, she said it was the flu." She stared at me hard for a few seconds and then continued typing. "That means I have no means to go get Cassie from her class. Would you be amenable to going to get her?"
"It's no problem. Which classroom is she in?"
She typed a few seconds longer and then grabbed a post-it note. Writing it down as she spoke it, "Cassie is in room 115 with Mr. David Grizzle." She tore off the post-it and handed it to me. I looked down to confirm, "115…that's in the science wing, isn't it? …Chemistry?"
"That would be the one."
"Right, thanks," I turned on my heel and marched out the door. Taking a left, I let my memory guide me to the science wing of the school.
I guess I'll take a moment to acknowledge the irony. I find it ironic that my first (and hopefully only) day back at Brooklands has me going to the newest part of the school; newest, because it had been blown up. No, let's be honest here…it's the newest part because I blew it up. In the time it took me to find Cassie's class, I reminisced about how I got into working for MI6 in the first place. The "olden" days but not necessarily the "golden" days. I thought about how unprepared I was for the first few missions I went on. I contemplated how MI6, at one point, hadn't even let me carry a gun and I constantly had to improvise. The day that changed was the day I had accepted that there was no other option for me.
I was called into Mrs. Jones's office after a particularly grueling mission that landed me in Prague. With only a three day break, I knew I was going to be sent away again. I walked into her office and sat down in front of her.
"Here's the deal. Throughout the course of working for MI6, I've changed. I've grown to see the truth in people that they won't own up to. You are going to keep using me. I realize that. You realize that. All of bloody MI6 realizes that. You simply won't admit it to me. So, I propose a deal."
"I'm listening."
Alex took a deep breath and settled a chilling gaze upon her, "I will work for you. No blackmail necessary. But I want to be trained properly, I want a gun and I want pay and legal standing in the country. I'm fifteen, but I can handle myself well enough. Emancipate me." I settled into my chair as I laid down my demands.
Mrs. Jones leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers in front of her, contemplating his list of commands. "If you work for our company, we have to work out a contract. We need to reach common ground on what to pay you and how many missions you'll go on per year. You're willing to drop out of school and work with us full time?"
I nodded and mentioned, "I would like to take my GSCE's, however, as I never got the opportunity."
She stared at me for a minute longer, her eyebrows furrowed, as if she were trying to understand my reasoning. I stared back, equally intense, and awaited her decision. She finally looked away and her eyes relocated to her phone on the desk. Pushing the intercom button, she called out for her assistant. "Jamal, please bring in the new employee paperwork."
"Right away, ma'am."
We got down to negotiations.
Later in the day, I was sent down to Smithers to pick up my first official gun. A Sig Sauer P229.
I took it in my hand and analyzed the breach. Nodding to myself, I finished my examinations and was directed to the shooting range. Quickly dismantling and then reassembling the pistol, I inserted the magazine and racked the slide to chamber the first round. I picked a lane and pressed the "on" button. I felt myself sink into my normal shooting stance, and began shooting once the gun felt like an extension of my hand. When the task was over, I lowered my arm and brought the targets to me. With a score like that, it was like I had never stopped shooting. It was like returning home. I turned around and walked out of MI6 of my own will for the first time.
I approached the door to room 115 and attempted to peek in, but was derailed when there was an inconvenient piece of green construction paper placed over the window. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door and turned the knob.
I poked my head in and quickly scanned my surroundings. Spotting Mr. Grizzle in the middle of the class, I addressed him. "I'm here to pick up Cassandra McMan for a doctor's appointment."
He took a second to stare at me with a creased brow. I felt uncomfortable, but did everything in my stead to not squirm under his gaze. Eventually he turned around and told Cassie to gather her stuff. He went over to explain the night's homework. After thirty seconds, both Cassie and Grizzle turned to look at me, Cassie gathering her pack on her shoulder and heading towards me.
"Now, don't disappear for a long time, Cassie. We wouldn't want you to suddenly succumb to Alex Rider syndrome." Grizzle eyes flashed to me as he said it.
Most of the class started grinning and chuckling as Cassie turned around and retorted, "No, I'll definitely be back tomorrow. No unexplained illness from me. Just a routine checkup." Cassie smiled and turned back towards me. "Hey Uncle Cub."
I grinned at her, wrapped my arm around her shoulder and let the door shut behind us on the way out.
"Hey kid. How's life been treating you?"
She wiggled her way out from underneath my arm and turned to glare at me. "Alright, first of all let's get this straight. I am only five years younger than you."
I raised my eyebrow at her.
"Don't call me kid!"
I smirked and nodded. "Okay, squirt." I quickly hopped out of reach of her arm, eyes widening in fake surprise, and smirked again as she "hmph"ed and flounced off down the hall. I strolled after her until she got to the front office. Miss Bedfordshire wasn't in her normal seat, so I signed Cassie out and we left Brookland.
Walking towards the parking lot, I heard Cassie gasp. Eyes quickly canvassing the area and finding nothing gasp-worthy, I looked up at Cassie.
"You got a new car?"
Ahh… "Well, I got into an accident in my last one. This is my replacement." Truth be told, I hadn't crashed my car. It had been towed while I was away on a mission and when I came back, I went to pick it up. Apparently, the local tow center was being run by a maniacal mad-man named Don Pittser who had been trying to lure me to the auto yard. One has to wonder where these bad guys come from…
My car had been destroyed in the cross fire. It was a shame really. She had been stunning. Still, the new car was beautiful.
"It's beautiful," Cassie whispered, unknowingly echoing my sentiments about the car.
"Agreed." I clicked the unlock button. "Get in."
By the time Cassie was deemed healthy by the doctor, there were only forty-five minutes left in school. We conclusively decided to skip it and go out for ice cream. I brought her home and we watched television together until her father got back. I knew she didn't need a babysitter, but I truthfully didn't have anything else to do. Hanging out with Cassie is usually the most fun I have when I'm not on a mission. I consider it the ultimate break time.
When Snake got home, he cooked dinner and we sat down to eat together. A few hours later, after Cassie had gone to bed, he and I talked about the past (as two old soldiers will do). Around midnight, I went home and prepared for bed. As I lay down, I had a pair of quizzical eyes burned into my brain. Slowly, I fell into sleep.
As I said, chapter 3 is a tie-in piece to this (so it won't be long). I haven't started writing chapter 4 yet...and I'm about to get REALLY busy over the course of the next two weeks. (It's my 21st birthday on the 25th!) I'll write when I get the chance. Please review!
You guys are awesome! Till next time,
~Moldy