Warnings: Language. Violence. Light Gore.
Disclaimer: This is a work of FanFiction using characters from the Alex Rider series, intellectual property and copyright of Anthony Horowitz.
Alex stared up at the ceiling of the room he was occupying, he didn't know how long he had been awake, nor had he had any indication of company within his tiny room. The bunk he was led on was uncomfortable, the heart monitor that he was rigged up to casting a steady beat once again into the room darkened by the lack of lighting. The cannula inserted into the back of his hand itched, he wanted to remove it and he'd tried after first waking. It was only through harsh breaths and much protestation from his muscles he had relented to the irritating presence.
Trying to fight off long term anaesthesia obviously wasn't one of his strengths.
His muscles still felt weak, his eyes were still threatening to close and it was out of sheer persistence that they hadn't, as he had tried to piece together some form of coherency from his jumbled thoughts. He didn't really have a lot to go on, aside from knowing the events of the failed assignment and the pain just before he had passed out, be it from blood loss or a dart he didn't know.
As it was, since the time of waking he had neither been able to figure out his current location, gather enough information to know what he was dealing with or work out some kind of plan to get out. All in all he decided, the time had been rather unproductive.
Nothing but the growing sense of awareness in his muscles had accompanied him in the time of consciousness, and while he may have been glad to feel that yes, he still had ten toes, eight fingers and two thumbs, he was growing tired of just moving them.
He attempted again to move his leg, this time he managed to lift it, at least part way off the bed and the cold he was feeling on his chest that should have been chilling was welcome. He took a deep breath as he attempted to pull his shoulders forwards and move into a sitting position, muscles that he had long forgotten seemed to scream at him, piercing like hot pokers as they pulled into place as he sat up, but it was the strange feeling of constriction around his chest that he concentrated on.
Alex managed to ease his elbows under his back and he leant on them as he shut his eyes and took deep breaths against the tension and the surprising amount of pain the movement had caused. As he opened his eyes he saw the edging of white peeking above the covers, and he kicked one of his legs out, causing the cover to fall off the bunk he was on. He stared at the bandage that was wrapped around his whole torso with a confused look.
He remembered the pain in that moment, the intense burning and the memory of grasping at his skin before he fell flashed into his mind, he remembered the hand being red when he pulled it away.
"Blood loss then." Alex muttered to himself as he rested his hand over the top of the bandage with a thoughtful expression. It still made no sense. Why shoot him then fix him up again? Unless he was in friendly territory. He squashed that thought immediately.
It hadn't happened before it wasn't likely too now.
The strip light on the ceiling flickered on with no warning and Alex squinted as the clinical white light hit his eyes. He blinked rapidly to try to clear them as he heard a door opening, managing so within a few seconds to see a short figure stood in the doorway. He held his breath for a second, the frame was similar to Wolf's.
Was he being proven wrong? Maybe this one time, he was wrong.
It was the chuckle that dismissed that thought as the man walked towards him. As he came into the light Alex could see the figure he thought was similar to Wolf's was only so in height. The man's two chins jiggled as he walked and Alex shut his eyes and pushed his emotions into the box he constantly kept ready, presenting a dull and thoughtless front as the man stopped by his bedside. Alex could feel the man's dark, almost black eyes that were rimmed by gunmetal glasses before his face split into what Alex presumed was meant to be a grin. Alex thought it looked more like a twisted scowl.
"Glad to see you are awake, Alex." The man stated, his voice was gravely and a strong accent that Alex thought sounded French overlaid the pleasant words. Alex just watched him with a neutral expression as the man walked around to the cardiac unit and wrote a few words on his clipboard.
"You're not very talkative. That's out of character for you, or so I've heard. Maybe it's the pain. I can give you more sedatives?" the man offered. Alex grit his teeth together and shook his head.
"What do you want?" Alex asked sharply. His voice was rough and it hurt to talk, the movement felt like it scratched against the back of his throat. The man gave a dark chuckle and the hand holding the clipboard dropped to his side.
"So to the point. People have no manners these days." Alex raised a sarcastic eyebrow, "I'll start. I'm Doctor Ibrehim, I've been taking your care while you're here."
"Pleasure. I'm sure." Alex replied dryly, his lips curling at the sides in a patronising greeting. He noted the flicker of annoyance pass the man's features and he couldn't help the small smirk that appeared on his lips.
"I was warned about your famed sarcasm." Ibrehim stated in a dull tone. Alex just turned his eyes to the door at the foot of his bed. He wasn't going to partake in verbal sparring when his throat was raw, neither was he going to abide by pleasantries when they were, judging by the lock on the door and the keys on Ibrehim's belt, detaining him. The doctor gave another small chuckle and shook his head slightly, Alex turned to see his face light up at whatever thought had crossed his mind.
"Very well, as I'm sure you have guessed Alex, there is someone most desperate to meet you. I will let him know you are awake." Ibrehim stated as he walked towards the door. Alex watched his back, the large bald spot in the man's nest of grey hair glaring in the bright overhead light, before the door closed behind him and the room was once again cast into darkness. This time he heard the lock click following the man's departure and Alex slumped back onto the bunk, closing his eyes to allow them to adjust to the darkness.
When he reopened them, he stared at the ceiling, his mind seemingly muffled by the confines of the room and he eyed a patch of mould that was just visible on the ceiling from the green light of the cardiac unit. He shivered and rubbed his forearm gently, feeling goose-bumps under his fingertips he looked around each wall, seeing no windows and deduced he must be underground. Slowly, he pulled himself up and eased his legs over the side of the bunk.
His muscles protested each movement as he eased his weight down onto his feet with shaking arms. The baggy trousers, which were similar to prison garbs trembled against his legs and he gritted his teeth as he flexed his legs gently, trying to work some feeling back into them. Slowly he let go of his grip on the bunk and took a hesitant step, the back leg almost buckled as it took all his weight. But he persisted and eventually, he didn't know how long it took, he had completed a circuit of the small room, twisting the cannula wire around the drip stand it was attached too. The shaking in his legs seemed to subside with each slow step and he took the opportunity to asses any other injuries aside from the obvious bullet wound to his torso. He found a niggling pain on one side, but nothing completely unbearable so he followed the route back again, the wire untangling itself and he eased himself back onto the bunk. Laying down carefully, and closing his eyes he took a deep breath and willed himself back to sleep, knowing there wasn't a lot else he could do until he found out why he was being kept a healthy captive.
Alex's eyes snapped open as the heavy metal door banged back against the wall of his room. He jerked into an upright sitting position, cursing as the bandage around his abdomen tightened almost unbearably. There was a loud laugh as Alex blinked away the haze of pain and the light glare that lit up the room with the new arrival.
It wasn't Ibrehim, he was too tall and as the newcomer walked forward Alex took stock of the man's neatly trimmed blonde hair. He was around the same height as Alex, and seemed to have a relatively muscular frame, but it was the way he carried himself that was the most threatening. It was with an air of exuberance, and a definite amount of confidence that the man moved to his bedside. Alex shivered slightly, whether it was from the cold or the man's aura he didn't know but the stranger had picked up on it and flashed him a cold smile that revealed perfect teeth as he sat down on the chair in the corner of the room.
"You are not what I was expecting when I was told of Alex Rider." The man commented, he had a smooth voice, one that Alex could have imagined a politician using to placate rioting civilians. Alex couldn't help the tug of pride at the man's comment. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. My name, if you care for it, is Dimitri Prudek. The director of the company you and your little group decided to infiltrate."
"What do you want?" Alex asked, he was careful to control the tone and pitch in his voice. Even if it felt like a million years since he'd had a drink.
"In a word? You." Prudek responded with another smile. Alex' mask of indifference didn't change with the response.
"Me."
"Yes Alex. You see your name has become something of a menace in the underground after the business in Cairo with Scorpia. I suppose you became, for lack of a better word a legend among criminal organisations." Prudek explained calmly, "In the unrest that followed new organisations sprang to light. I want mine to be the best. Therefore I require the best. I require you."
"No."
"Allow me to continue." Prudek stated in a tone that said he would regardless, Alex rolled his eyes. "I was most shocked when we received a piece of information from a contact stating there was an active agent within our midst. I was even more surprised to find out they were going to retrieve the agent that night. But, imagine my delight when I saw a young blonde operative run across my rooftop. I knew then that the legendary Alex Rider had been assigned to my organisation. It was certainly an ego boost, but I couldn't let you leave. Unfortunately, I was unable to get a message to my operatives to get them to merely detain you and not damage you. I am sorry for that by the way, but you see it actually worked out in our favour."
"How'd you figure that one out?" Alex asked with a sceptical look.
"Not in your favour of course. But most definitely in mine. My source within military intelligence has confirmed your status as MIA, they have already held a remembrance ceremony. So naturally, no one is looking for you."
Alex said nothing, but he felt as the last dregs of hope of an impromptu rescue left him and he took a deep breath. Prudek was right, it definitely didn't work in his favour. He settled himself with a glare towards the man.
"Still a no."
"I see." Prudek replied thoughtfully, Alex could see the twitch of his mouth that showed he was restraining some form of expression. "In that case I require one other thing from you. The name of the agent."
Alex didn't even need to consider the answer and he shook his head defiantly, "Not a hope in hell."
"That is a real shame." Prudek replied with a mock dismayed look. Alex scowled, "I didn't want it to come to this, but if I have to beat submission into you Alex, then I will. And if you die in the process? I will be the person famous for defeating the prodigy that is Alex Rider."
The conversation must have been monitored as the door to the room reopened without Prudek summoning anyone and two men appeared in the frame. Both were tall and wore military style haircuts, Prudek turned to them with a curious look as he stood up.
"Helmen, Soutt I want answers from him by tonight." Prudek ordered. Both men walked forwards almost simultaneously, with menacing looks and exchanging sinister smiles after they had spotted Alex sat on the bed.
"Bring him to my office when he relents, he can tell me himself." Prudek instructed as he walked from the room. Alex glared at the two men as they walked forwards, one pulling the canula from the back of his hand roughly, the plaster ripped from his skin and the small pinprick bled at the rough removal as his arms were grabbed and they dragged him from the room.
Alex watched his surroundings as they manhandled him out into a stone walled hallway without a word between them. It was only a short journey, and he felt his arms being wrenched above his head after they had entered another room. The metallic clanging above his head gave him a good enough idea of what was going to happen before the shackles snapped around his wrists. His body throbbed in pain and he hastily hid his grimace as the bandage tightened over the new wound, his skin stretching painfully from the unnatural position as he gained his footing against the floor.
He thanked his height for allowing him to do so. The two men stepped back and Alex lifted his head after a deep breath to glare at them. They were watching him with sadistic smiles,
"You scared boy? Want to go home to mother and father?" One offered with broken English, his lips moving over missing and rotted teeth.
"If it gets me away from those teeth of yours." Alex returned, it earned him a lashing backhander across his face and he spat out the blood that filled his mouth from the impact. Alex lifted his head as the pair exchanged quiet words and one turned and left the room. The second had escorted him to the door, closing it firmly after his comrade before turning to Alex with a seething look, he stepped forwards Alex looked down and glared at the floor.
"Let's see if we can get answers. Yes?"
Alex took a deep breath as he closed his eyes, drawing on that inner calm that had eluded him in situations so similar before.
They wouldn't break him. He wouldn't let it happen.
Alex had long stopped yelling out when the blows landed on him, his throat was raw, he was sagging in the restraints above his head. He had been fortunate, he knew that they could have used whips and fire and god knows what else, but that didn't stop the physical blows from hurting.
He breathed an involuntary sigh of relief when another blow didn't land immediately after the one before, and the only sound was a heavy footstep moving away from him. Slowly he creaked an eye open, to see a pair of boots directly in front of him. He lifted his head tiredly, the movement burnt like a thousand pokers searing into his skin but he finally managed to lift his head to see the one he had discovered was called Helmen stood in front of him.
"Done yet?" the man asked. Alex swallowed heavily and shook his head meekly. So far, he had managed to maintain his mental attitude to not relent. He knew it was angering the man. He knew it hurt more with each notch of emotion his defiance caused. He took a halting intake of breath when a hand grabbed his face and lifted it to look at his tormentors.
"Is it worth one name. Your life?" Helmen asked, Alex's mind which was hazy with pain, took a moment to process the backwards sentence. He said nothing, instead he asked himself the same question. All the defiance to not give in, to not relent, to remain faithful, was it worth this? His pain muddled mind was starting to think not.
"What is one death?" Helmen prompted. Alex stared at him for a second, feeling the absolute seething settle in his bloodstream against this man, against the way his mind was warping what would once have been a definite negative. Alex shut his eyes for one second, one death, what harm could it do?
He knew better than most. Ian's death. Jack's death. They were all just solitary events that would seem so inconsequential to anyone else.
Alex could taste the blood in his mouth from the hits he had taken to his face, and rather than reply to the man's taunts that had been constant throughout the beating he spat at his face. The deep crimson landing on the man's cheek, Helmen forced his head back, causing Alex to let it roll to a rest and he stared upwards, not wanting to move a muscle because it still fucking hurt.
He saw the flash of silver in the bottom of his eyesight and all thought of not moving went out the window as Helmen held the small switchblade up in front of his face. He lashed out with his legs, desperate for anything to stop the man as he walked behind him. He felt the cold metal against his back and stilled when the point of the blade pushed gently against the base of his spine.
He shut his eyes, awaiting the piercing that could technically disable him permanently. Instead he felt as the blade moved up over his back in a slow sweeping motion and god – it burnt . Alex took a deep breath as Helmen showed him his blood on the blade. Alex shut his eyes and tried desperately to find that inner calm that had drifted away a long time ago, he clung to its remains with everything as the move was performed again and he clenched his teeth together.
He didn't know how many times, he stopped counting after the second cut but he knew there was blood, he could feel it at the top of the trousers he was wearing. The once warm, but now freezing liquid was like ice against his skin that felt as though it was on fire. He craned his neck up when the door reopened and his eyes widened as he took in Soutt with a pan of liquid that was steaming.
He almost cried in relief when Helmen left his spot behind him and walked over. The two men exchanged short sentences in a language Alex didn't understand, but the gestures were more than enough to give away their intentions.
Helmen was holding the pan now, and the pair walked over. Alex felt as one of his hands was realised from the chains above his head and he sagged further towards the ground. A firm hand held him up as another grabbed his wrist.
Alex pulled against the grip with all he was worth, putting everything into it, every possible swear word left his mouth but nothing stopped Helmen offering the pan. Soutt guided his hand towards the scolding liquid that would cause his flesh to blister and burn and hurt to his very core-
"Stop!" Alex yelled, the word being ripped through his damaged throat. His hand was held steady and Helmen looked at him. Alex hung his head with a heavy sigh, one of both relief and disappointment at being reduced to the desperate sound of his voice. The grip on his hand didn't remove itself, Soutt lowered his eye level and Alex gave him a meek glare. It was enough of a defiance for his hand to be moved closer to the scolding liquid. He yanked against it, feeling pure frustration pulling at his mind as the pan came closer, and hot tears stung at his eyes as he clenched them closed. He could feel the sweat gathering on his palm as his hand was again held out over the top of the boiling water. He could imagine how much pain it would cause and how his flesh would be charred and mangled after.
"I'll tell you." Alex yelled as loudly as he could, it came out as nothing more than a hoarse whisper to his ears, almost as if it was sounding through double plated glass and he wondered if this is what crazy felt like. The hand let go of his wrist and Alex hung by one arm from the chains on the ceiling, not particularly caring that it pulled so hard he was surprised his shoulder hadn't dislocated. The second chain was released and he slumped to the floor. Each bruise and cut making its presence known in a dull haze, but it seemed to have faded behind his self-disappointment at reaching his own limit.
After being grabbed, and not even trying to conceal the wince as rough hands irritated the bruises, he was walked out of the room by the two men. His eyes were almost unseeing as they escorted him into an ornate looking lift. Alex shut his eyes and took slow deep breaths trying desperately to pick up the pieces of his mind and form them back into place, trying desperately to figure out some way of getting out of giving the information without submitting himself to that again. The lift continued its upwards journey, dinging open to reveal a hall with bright lights and dark mahogany doors.
The hands returned back to their grips and numbly Alex walked in the route he was being directed. It was in the corner of his eye that he caught sight of a room full of computer through a glass wall. He altered his footsteps, causing him to stumble and he turned his head fully to look into what was effectively a laboratory on the other side, the pieces of equipment closest to the window illuminated by the light from the hall.
Helmen yanked him to his feet before he had a chance to get a good look, and Alex ducked his head to the floor once again, it was then he noticed the plush green carpet beneath his bare feet. He marked it as an odd thing, not something he had experienced in all his times as a captive anyway. Bare walls, non-descript rooms, computer equipment, even the occasional lab. But never what appeared to be a normal functional working environment like this.
He looked up when they stopped outside of a large door, and he glanced at the iron plate adorning it:
Dimitri Prudek,
Managing Director
Biosyn Technologies
He stored the information somewhere in his muddled mind and he felt a hand shove his back forwards once the door had been opened. He failed to regain his own step and fell forwards, knees grazing against the carpeted floor of the room they had entered. Alex felt as he was picked up once again and he let himself go lax in the grip. His head hung forwards but his eyes were tilted upwards through his lashes, taking in the office. There was a large desk directly in front of the floor to ceiling window and beyond that lights that lit up the horizon. The sun was just setting, Alex realised and in the distance he could make out vague shapes of buildings.
The feeling of dread only intensified within him when he saw no obvious landmarks, and it mingled with the evenings events that had taken its toll both mentally and physically.
"Alex." The bedraggled blonde looked up at the man that was sat at the desk and Prudek beckoned him over. Alex felt the hands that were clamped on his arms drag him forwards towards the desk, he aimed a meek glare at Prudek. The man smiled and gestured to the window.
"The city is beautiful at sunset isn't it? I saw you looking."
Alex scowled and looked back over the view, ignoring the assessing eyes of Ibrehim who was stood beside the infuriating director. Prudek stood up and walked so he was stood next to Alex, he didn't turn his head to look at the man instead he had found an arch, located some distance away. It looked so familiar and yet it was like a distant memory just beyond his grasp. Dull eyes glanced over the surrounding area, only to draw no further conclusions and they drifted back to the arch.
Ibrehim had walked over, and circled him much like a predator would their prey, assessing him with a critical eye. Alex turned tired eyes to him and the doctor nodded curtly, Alex turned his eyes back out the window. At freedom.
"They did well." Ibrehim stated with a chuckle before he looked at Prudek, "I suggest fluids if you want him to be of any use beyond today."
Alex saw in the reflection as Prudek nodded, "If nothing else, he will make an interesting test subject."
Alex didn't bother to withhold the shudder at the thought, he was too tired but his eyes moved back to that damn arch. He still couldn't place it, and the thought was infuriating. Prudek moved in front of him, blocking his view of the landmark and Alex lifted his eyes wearily to look at the man.
"You thought about my earlier offer?" Prudek asked. Alex shook his head slowly, feeling the movement pull the muscles in his neck. "The name of the agent."
Alex hesitated, and remembered the absolute dread that had filled him in that room. He'd never undergone torture prior to this. He had no intention to relive the experience. Not when it could have been so much worse. The feeling of hopeless frustration and wanting so badly to not reveal the information they so desperately wanted, that they would go to any means to obtain. But he had his limits. He knew it and they had proven it. Pain was indeed a good persuader, especially when you had control of being able to stop it with just a simple act of speech.
"Alex? I can guarantee you Helmen can be a lot more persuasive." Prudek stated calmly, Alex swallowed heavily and stared at the floor. "Patriotism will get you nothing in the hands of these men."
Alex didn't believe in it anyway and the small defiance he felt at the man's words crept up again, he kept his gaze on the floor. He was caught once again in indecision, and as if the memory of pain wasn't enough he felt a fist pummel into his stomach from his left. He keeled over, taking a deep gasp for breath as he curled into the foetal position on the floor. He felt a surge of emotion, anger, regret, disappointment and he took a stuttered gasp for air as he clenched his eyes closed.
"The name, Alex?" Prudek urged, Alex opened his eyes that were lined with water from the impact over an already bruised chest and took another gasp of breath. He wouldn't be able to do it again, he knew he wouldn't. He made his mind up and whispered one name before allowing himself to embrace the darkness.
Alex awoke back in the room he was held originally. The heart monitor was still running to his side, but the cannula was nowhere in sight. He blinked owlishly up at the ceiling, the icy tendrils of dread doing nothing to make him feel any better at what exactly he had given up. The thought settled heavily in his stomach.
He didn't know how long he had been out for, nor how long he had led here simply staring up at the roof with a resolute gaze. He'd given up working some form of movement into his legs after walking around the room 13 times. He'd assessed he was relatively mobile, quite surprising considering the circumstances and the only part of his body that truly hurt, was his back.
Of course, that was only if you didn't include his pride. The defeat he had conceded to them tasted bitter against his tongue, as if the words themselves had settled as acid on his tongue. He'd broken, under nothing more than physical duress.
He remembered word's that had once been spoken through his uncle's mouth, that to show fear was to allow yourself to be prey. He had no doubt Ian would be disappointed if he could see him now. He had ducked out, pulled the curtains and given up in that instant.
It made him all the more determined not to let it happen again.
Alex blinked when the strip light was once again flicked on over his head. He was getting used to the rapid change in lighting, it had happened twice now. The first time he had kept himself still, keeping up the pre-tense that he had not come around. He had been surprised when he wasn't disturbed, he'd pried an eye open as the footsteps had moved away to see Ibrehim making his way back to the door. The man's footsteps were the ones walking over to him now.
Alex pushed himself upright slowly, he eyed Ibrehim warily as he walked over to the cardiac monitor and hung a bag up on the stand by its side. When the doctor turned back Alex just looked at him with a docile expression.
"You should choose to comply young Alex." Ibrehim stated, Alex just kept up his plain faced look through deadened eyes, "Mr Prudek has done a lot to keep you here. He had to pull out all the tricks to ensure your safety."
Alex could have made a comment about not having done very well in his current position. He didn't, he just turned his head to stare at the door. Ibrehim pulled a length of plastic tubing and an IV needle from his pocket, the plastic wrapper crinkled loudly as he unwrapped it. Alex withheld the flinch when the man's fingers touched his hand and the needle was inserted and turned dull eyes to look at him as Ibrehim stood again.
"As it is, a young boy who looks rather like yourself is no longer with us because of Prudek's determination." Ibrehim stated, Alex blinked as confusion added to the small amount of coherency in his mind. He swallowed heavily.
"What?"
Ibrehim turned to the bag he had hung and started to connect the plastic tubing, "You are a wanted child. It was a diversionary tactic until Prudek felt you were in a position to accept."
While the man was talking, Alex pulled the needle from the back of his hand, he'd recognised the fluid he was being connected to and had absolutely no intention of being sedated again. He concealed the needle in his right hand, curling fingers around it into a fist as he sat upright on the bed.
"What made him think I would?" Alex asked, he dropped his tone and knew the answer before Ibrehim spoke. The doctor turned to him with a grin that really didn't look friendly.
"Helmen can be very persuasive."
Alex stared down at the covers on the bunk, a brief memory of sacrifice he had given in the office assaulted him and he nodded mutely. Ibrehim took a step towards the bed.
"It would not do to add another enemy to your already extensive list- "
The man's words turned into a high pitched scream as Alex plunged the needle into the man's right eye. The pop Alex had been expecting was drowned out by the noise from the doctor's throat and Alex felt as the gelatinous liquid expelled and flowed over his hand and wrist. He noted absentmindedly it was cold, before pulling his left fist up and striking the man in the side of the neck in a manoeuvre he had learnt many years past with the SAS.
Ibrehim crumpled to the floor, as Alex eased himself off the bunk and crouching beside him. His hands worked quickly as they lifted the man's shirt and Alex pulled it on over his own head, before securing a grip under the heavy man's arms and dragging him up onto the bunk. Alex grimaced as the move pulled muscles he never knew he had, and he snatched the key card from the man's belt before covering him over with the rather meagre blanket.
Alex crossed to the door, sparing the man a quick glance before he made his way out of it and locking it after himself. He followed the vaguely remembered route towards the lift, searching for a set of stairs. He hesitated when he reached the double metal doors, it would announce his presence to whoever might be on the ground floor, he didn't even know what time it was or how many people were likely to be in the building.
He assumed he was lucky to have encountered nobody so far, because the upstairs looked more like a real working environment but from the looks of the hall he was in, it was rarely used. Hesitantly he reached a hand for the call button of the lift.
The doors slid open soundlessly, and he eased his way in quickly, scanning the room list on the wall. There was no listing for a basement level, his eyes stopped on the atrium level and he reached out for it, his finger hovered over it thoughtfully. It could be full of people.
However, if the place was indeed a working environment it would have a stairwell on the higher floors. One that should, if he remembered correctly from one of the legal notifications on his old home room school in America, be located near to the "common" form of travel between floors.
That, and the laboratories did look interesting.
Alex jabbed the button for floor four, it was labelled as offices and research on the list and he waited as the numbers on the small LED monitor above the doors flicked through it's route. He pushed himself back against the wall of the lift when the number flicked between three and four, and the lift, as expected chimed out into the hall. He waited, listening for any noise before moving his head to look out of the opening. The hall was dim, in much the same circumstance it was when he had been brought here before and he slipped out of the lift quickly before the lift doors closed of their own accord.
Slowly Alex made his way down the hall, he kept his eyes on the door at the end of the hall that he had been led to before as he moved. From memory he vaguely remembered no other presence when they had escorted him here before, and it seemed to be a similar time. Prudek had made his first mistake, one many people had made before.
Prudek had underestimated him, expected him not to notice all the small factors that were now helping him make his way to the room that held the answers to his curiosity. Or maybe he just hadn't expected him to act on that curiosity.
Alex crouched by the laboratory door, and took one final look both ways down the hall before swiping the key card he had taken from Ibrehim over the panel to the side of the glass door. The small panel light flickered to green and he eased his way into the darkened room quickly, easing the door closed behind him.
He moved quickly over to one of the few monitors that were still lit in the darkened room, glancing at various pieces of laboratory equipment as he passed. He flicked the mouse with a wary hand as his eyes watched the plate glass wall keeping himself aware of any movement outside. He turned back when the screen turned a brighter colour as it switched from screensaver to a password log on screen. He sighed and turned away. He wasn't a hacker, and having only had minimal tuition while on Malagosto he knew it would be pointless to attempt it.
His eyes caught on a separate table top, this one towards the back of the room and he walked over cautiously, looking at the hypodermic syringes that were laid out on the table and what looked like laboratory slides stood upright in a tray to one side. He picked one up and held it up to the dull light coming from the exterior window with a frown. He couldn't see anything on the glass and he placed it back with a thoughtful look at the microscopes.
The door to the room gave a light click and Alex snapped his head around to see Prudek's figure pushing through the opening. He darted to the corner of the room and dropped into a crouch, holding his breath and mentally cursing for allowing himself to be distracted as the man walked in and flicked on one of the computer screens in the opposite corner. Alex watched as a password was typed, the man's fingers moving too quickly over the keyboard to catch it, and a complicated document was opened within a few short clicks of the mouse. Prudek took a second to scroll through the information and Alex peered forwards to try to garner some form of knowledge of what he was looking at.
It didn't matter even if he could see it, he didn't understand the complex equations mounted on the screen.
Prudek opened another window, it looked like an instant messenger and typed a short message before leaning back in his chair and steeping his fingers in front of him. He awaited a response that was shorter than his original message and lifted the handset from the phone cradle to one side of the computer. Alex watched as he dialled a long number, must have been an international dial, and held the phone loosely to his ear.
Alex switched his position while the man was distracted to the next desk along so he was a little closer, both so he could listen and make a move quickly if he needed to. Although, in his state he would rather just wait it out. Prudek opened another window on the computer and laid the phone down on the side as he typed in another passcode, the piercing dial tone cut into the air from the tinny phone speaker.
"Prudek." The voice growled, the blonde man grabbed the handset, pushing a button and switching it off speaker as he clicked on another document on the computer. He didn't speak immediately, but Alex could hear the muffled words of the opposition on the line.
"Yes, it's all in place." Prudek confirmed in a moments silence. "This is a mess though."
Another beat of silence and Prudek pushed the chair away from the desk. Alex recoiled in his position and pushed his back against the metal side of the lab table as Prudek stood.
"Rider was my call. I knew the risks." Prudek stated calmly as he turned and walked alarmingly close to where Alex was hiding. Serious brown eyes followed him as he approached a filing cabinet and pulled open the top drawer. There was a light jangle and Alex spotted the light from the screen glint against what looked like a set of keys.
"The detour was a street rat." Prudek stated, "No one will miss him. He is better off in the Dambovita."
Prudek was leant over the screen and clicking on different icons quickly, Alex's head snapped around to the printer in the corner when it started up. He silently cursed and moved to one of the tables closer to the filing cabinets, away from the printer. The new position cut off his vision of the man, but the confirmation of knowing his location of Bucharest was somewhat comforting.
Prudek walked back into his line of sight and stood by the printer with an empty manila file in his hand, one that was similar to one Alex had seen used at the Bank.
"I still don't think we should do commission work. There are too many rules and questions." Prudek stated in a tone that was resolute. Alex watched as the sheaf of papers that had printed were placed in the file and frowned to himself. Whatever was going on wasn't to the companies gain, obviously.
Prudek turned and walked closer to him again. Alex looked for somewhere else to hide, and pushed himself as far as he could against the table side when he realised he really had nowhere else to go. Maybe the laboratories weren't really all that interesting. Prudek moved one of the filing cabinets to one side, and Alex peered out while the mans back was turned to see him easing the key into a small compartment concealed in the wall behind it. This time he could see the four digit code that was keyed into the number panel and the file was placed inside the small alcove, Alex sucked in a quick breath when the safe door was slammed closed and pushed himself back against the leg of the table as Prudek's legs marched past the table.
"They will not find out." He growled, Alex frowned as the man's voice on the other end of the line increased in volume. But still the words weren't clear,
"Then what do you suggest. I have Helmen working on him." Prudek snarled as he pushed the filing cabinet back into position and tucked the keys back inside the top drawer. Prudek stopped before pushing the drawer closed, "You can do that?"
Prudek made his way to the computer and Alex looked out the opposite side of the table to see the windows that were still open on the monitor being closed in a rapid succession of mouse clicks. Prudek sighed and ran a hand through his hair as the computer shut itself down.
"Thank you Padre. I'll deal with it if he doesn't agree." Prudek confirmed quietly, Alex frowned at the switch in tone as the man flicked the computer screen he had been using off. Prudek had been tense, and the relief that shone through his tone as he bid his goodbyes was all too evident. The only thing Alex had picked up on, was that whoever was on the other end of the line didn't want him here. Prudek had been arguing with him, over the course of action the man had taken, because there was a third party involved.
And whoever that third party was, was no fan of his by the sounds of it.
The door closed as Prudek left, and Alex watched him walk in the direction of the lift through the glass wall. He waited, silently counting to 30 before moving out from under the desk and moving to the glass wall to check he had gone. There was no one in the corridor and Alex turned back to the filing cabinet.
He had to get out, he knew that, but it would be a wasted opportunity to not gain something from a situation that had turned so dire. He rooted around in the drawer without finding the key in the files inside and he ran a hand over the top on the inside of the drawer. He smirked when he felt the small object tacked to the top and pulled it free, shoving the drawer closed and moving around the side to shift the container in the same way Prudek had just minutes before. He pushed the key into the lock and keyed in the number he had memorised from Prudek's usage of the safe before pulling it open and looking inside.
He picked up the newly printed file, and saw another nestled under it. He flicked through the first and was surprised to find his own details on the paper, he tucked it into one pocket of the trousers and pulled the second open. A small booklet fell to the floor, he scooped it up quickly and stared at the front of the Polish passport. When he pulled it open he was surprised to find his own, albeit younger face looking out at him with a different name and date of birth described. He smirked and tucked it into his pocket with the file.
"Cocky." Alex muttered to himself as he checked the rest of the contents quickly. The smirk on his face widened as his eyes fixed on the small flash drive and handgun near the back and he grabbed them both. He checked the clip of the gun with a practiced hand as he turned back to the door of the laboratory, he paused and debated about closing the safe before he walked directly to the door without bothering.
Prudek's confidence was his biggest mistake. The man had a job lined up for him, if the passport was anything to go by, and Alex did have a job to do. Just not one that was going to benefit the director.
Alex walked down the corridor with the gun in his grasp, not careful to conceal his footsteps, there would once have been a time he probably would have hesitated in being so obtuse. But that was a long time ago now. The metal within his grip, fed his confidence and reminded him that he knew how to use a firearm and he would if he needed to. But right now, with the injuries he had sustained the most important thing was to get out as soon as possible.
Alex had paused when he had descended the three flights of stairs to the Atrium floor, there had been no presence and his presumption of this being an actual working office so far had been proven correct. He peered through the gold plated circular window of the stairwell, and saw with dismay the two guards that were stood by a large marble desk. It wasn't the fact there were two of them, it was the fact they were armed.
Alex crouched when he heard the arrival of the lift into the lobby, just as the guards turned with their weapons drawn, thankful a million times over that the distraction of the laboratory had provided some sort of purpose and he watched the shadows of someone's footsteps pass by the gap under the door.
He eased himself back up again to see Prudek walking towards the desk, the guards had dropped their weapons and only a few words exchanged as the man headed towards the door. He exited through the revolving door at the front and Alex counted silently in his head to give the man enough time to get into the car, he assumed would be waiting for the official of the building.
5
Alex flexed the muscles in his legs, feeling them tense and protest in his preparations after god knows how long lack of usage.
10
Check the barrel of the gun, 6 bullets. More than enough.
15
Eyes shut. Ears keen. Grip adjusted on the weapon in his grasp.
20
Deep breath. First spike of adrenaline at the thought of what he was about to do.
25
Palm flat against the door ready to push through and run for freedom.
He never reached thirty as a burst of static from above him and tinny voice split through the air in urgent tones. Alex pushed the door open with his hand and ran, aiming a warning shot at the desk, it hit the marble with a splintering sound as one of the guards yelled out in surprise.
It didn't take them long to react, but it was enough time for him to get half way across the lobby before the shots started to ring out from behind him. He sent another shot over his shoulder, it wasn't taken with aim, just anything to distract them and he heard a pained yell. He didn't turn to look at the damage, instead focussed solely on the door in front of him as he barrelled into it.
An alarm started sounding just as the door closed behind him and Alex jumped the grand steps at the front of the building with the grace of a bull. His muscles screamed as he landed awkwardly on the pavement and he looked up.
Prudek was staring at him, obviously caught in the act of just climbing into the car and Alex didn't hesitate to pull the trigger once again, the bullet embedding itself into the car door the man was holding open. Alex ran for all he was worth, the cold air permeating into his skin but he took no notice as the first breath of fresh air flowed down his throat.
He could hear Prudek yell something from behind him, and Alex turned down the next available street in the general direction of the mass of lights he had seen from Prudek's office window. The road he found himself on was long and straight, the littering of small shops and restaurants casting an ominous glow from their interiors. He kept running, glancing occasionally through a window at the people going about their nightly activities and not knowing that there was someone currently running for their life directly passed them.
That's what it was, and he knew it. If they found him now, they wouldn't hesitate to kill him, especially when they discovered the empty safe.
Alex didn't know how long far he'd gotten from the building, nor did he have any clue whereabouts he was, but he knew that his legs wouldn't keep going for much longer. He pushed himself that little bit further, his eyes fixed on an alley on the opposite side of the road and he darted across it the minute there was a break in the traffic. He glanced at the two people talking quietly outside of the front of the restaurant, before slipping into the alley and allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He walked forwards, flexing his legs and feeling the butt of the gun with his fingertips before he came across two industrial waste bins. He looked back at the open air, the square illuminated by the lights of life outside, before squeezing himself between the two containers, pulling one of the bags of rubbish that smelled suspiciously like gone of cabbage from one of them. He sat down with his back to the cold wall and pushed the bag in front of him as he pulled his legs up to his chest.
He leant his hands over the top of his knees, gun still held loosely in his grip and tipped his head back against the wall with a heavy sigh.
He took a moment to compose his heavy breathing and adjusted his back against the wall so it wouldn't irritate the cuts on his back that, along with his other injuries, were now making their presence well known with the absence of adrenaline.
Comfortable, or at least as comfortable as he could be stuffed between two foul smelling dustbins, in a country he had hardly any knowledge of, in the middle of the night, in fucking January he settled himself in for what he hoped would be a relatively short wait for the morning when he could make a move and find a way back to England.
He allowed himself a sardonic smile.
Time for the hard part.
Alex groaned as his head hit the wall of the compartment he was crouched in, the state of meditation he had forced himself into was broken in an instant and he opened his eyes to see the suitcases still crowding him with every jolt the coach made. It had been a long trip, but with the absence of natural light in his current travel place he had no way to gauge exactly how long had passed on this final leg of his journey.
He'd left the alley just after first light, and had meandered his way around various back roads, following signposts he didn't understand until he came to a busy square that was teaming with people. He hadn't slept throughout that first night, or since then in fact, in case he was being followed. It would have been just his luck to escape the hornet's nest only to be stung afterwards. He'd found, with broken conversation with a market vendor in the square where the train station was located, and after a few deftly placed pick pocketing episodes had procured enough money and a new t-shirt so he could finally start on his way back. The Polish passport had come in very handy, and when Alex had handed it over to the ticket salesman he'd said a silent thank you to Prudek for being such an overconfident pillock. The resulting train journey had been long, boring and arduous, especially every time the refreshments trolley around offering bottles of water that sparkled under the compartment's lights. Alex had thumbed through the last pieces of money, dismayed to find he didn't have enough for water before wheedling a glass from the woman manning the trolley.
Alex grimaced as a large bump caused one case beside him to hit his side and agitate the wound that was wrapped under dirty bandages across his chest. He shoved the case away with a scowl, before wrapping an arm across the area to stop it happening again, careful not to apply any pressure to the bandage. As it was it hurt to breath, let alone contemplate another impact there. At least it was hidden beneath his shirt.
When he had caught sight of himself in a mirror in the trains bathroom on his journey from Bucharest to Paris he had almost recoiled. He knew from the pain that was constant in his muscles and the stretched feeling of his skin on his face that Helmen had done a real job on him. But he hadn't expected the outcome to be quite so horrific. His skin was no longer its normal sun kissed tone, now it was purple with bruises, with small hints of yellow where some had started fading and an angry red, where skin had split under the man's less than careful ministrations. He'd done his best, with the dirty water from the bathroom tap and wadded up toilet roll to clean it up. But all he seemed to achieve was to wipe away any grime and reveal yet more blemishes and causing some cuts to re-open. He hadn't had the time, nor the inclination to tend to the bruises on his chest and he wouldn't have reached the ones on his back. All the reveal had done, was to make him even more aware of how conspicuous he looked sat on a train with holidaymakers and distance commuters. He'd never been so pleased to see the Eiffel Tower in his life as the train journey drew to a close, and he'd mingled in with the crowds as much as possible on his way to the exit, steadily making his way out and into the open air of France, but the most important thing was he knew where he was going here, and it was just one short journey away from finally being able to stop.
Alex shivered, pulling his back away as the movement grated against the wall behind him and gritted his teeth together. He wiped a hand across his eyes, feeling his hot fingertips sweep across the cooling beads of sweat on his brow. He shifted, the file that was still tucked into his trouser pocket dug into his leg and irritated one of the bruises as he tried to unzip the case beside him. He rummaged around the inside, feeling as his fingers caught on a fleecy material and pulled his hand out with a jacket. He shrugged it on.
Alex had watched in Paris as his target started to fill with innocent tourists and eased his way out from behind the secure unit he had taken residence behind for the last few hours. In those hours he had watched the routine of the coaches in Galleini station. Tourists arrived to a holding area, baggage was taken and counted, before both baggage and tourists were loaded at the same time, the inanimate objects unsurprisingly taking less time as tourists and travellers lingered, saying goodbyes to loved ones or simply fluttering around for mild worries that would annoy the other passengers if they heard them. Alex though was thankful for them, it gave him a window, only short no more than about a minute to get to where he needed to be. So he waited as the midday departure was loaded on time, ten minutes before it was due to leave. He watched as two younger passengers embraced at the entrance to the holding area and the assistant that was loading the coach turned away to hurry them on. Alex ran, it was what he'd been waiting for, and as he pushed his way between the suitcases of the luggage compartment he had sighed in relief at the thought that by 10pm that night he would be back on English soil.
Alex tucked the jacket in around his body as the deafening sound of the coach engine cut out once again, hopefully for the final time. The compartment was opened to the opposite end of the hold and light flooded in as voices and bitter air streamed into his enclosure. He shivered again, regardless of the extra covering as the baggage was extracted from the hold piece by piece by gloved hands. He pushed himself back against the wall as the final piece from around him was extracted by straggling hands, and held his breath when one brushed against his leg.
"What the hell?" A voice muttered before a surprised looking face appeared in through the opening and stared at Alex who had moved his way into a crouch, ready to move. The attendant just stared at him for a second, and Alex darted forwards, knocking him to the ground before his still bare feet hit the ground outside of the coach and he was running for the service gate.
"Hey. Stop him. He's illegal!" The attendant bellowed. Alex felt as people turned to look at him and more shouts started to fill the air. He gritted his teeth against the pain his body was inflicting as he grabbed the rail and swung himself around the gate onto the roads that looked so familiar he could have yelled in relief.
He couldn't have imagined being so happy to be back in the country before, or thankful for the fact that the streets of London were always busy as he mingled into the crowds and slowed himself to a walk. He'd never been so thankful for the fact people were so self-absorbed that he could walk by, barefooted, bruised and aching beyond belief, without gaining a second glance from any of them. If they had he was sure someone would have called the police by now. He kept walking, trying his best to ignore his shoulders jarring against anyone else's bodies as he walked towards the bank. It was only as he turned into Eaton Terrace, a shortcut route through a residential area that was away from the crowds that he sat down and started to massage his frozen feet.
He looked at the nearest house, a warm glow being emitted through the curtains and willed for himself to get up. In all the trip had taken three days, between waiting and travelling, he'd neither slept, eaten or relaxed in all that time. But the thought of a warm bed was enough to get him to his feet, and start hobbling down the road, trying to ignore the stabbing cold from the pavement that was starting to ice over.
The drizzle started as he passed Tedworth Square near Chelsea, and he wondered to himself if the night could get any worse before carrying on, his pace was slow, between Eaton Terrace and Tedworth square should have taken ten minutes, but judging by the lights that where flickering out along the residential streets as he walked them, it was taking a lot longer.
Alex stopped in front of Chelsea library and slumped to the bottom step with a deep breath, dropping his head between his knees as the overbearing weariness and pain threatened to overcome him.
Damn it
He shut his eyes and placed his forehead gently against one kneecap as he took a steadying breath and tentatively touched the bandage on his chest, wincing as the pain cut through the drowsiness better than the strongest cup of coffee.
Fucking get up Alex.
He silently urged himself. And with all the willpower he could muster, which almost wasn't enough, he was stood up once again, breathing deeply and racking his brain. Looking around, he knew he'd never make it to the bank. It was still a 45 minute walk away on a good day, which this definitely wasn't and even he could admit he had limits. The Pleasures house was a lot closer and he wondered if he would be able to shimmy the drainpipe to his room as he had done on occasion before, but that would still leave the problem of explaining it away in the morning. He shivered, his stomach tensing and twinging with pain before he ruled the idea out completely.
Alex shut his eyes, leaning against the railing of the steps for a second, and debating whether to just find a nice bench to bunk on for the night, before he remembered an offer that had been made a couple of months previously. He never thought he'd need it, but he'd already dropped his pride back in that damn office, so to trade it off against a warm bed now didn't seem all that daunting. He gathered the jacket, which was far too big, around him before setting off once again and heading straight across the road as the temperature seemed to drop even further.
It should have taken ten minutes, fifteen at absolute most. But judging by the lights that were all out in the downstairs rooms in the houses he passed it was late, much later than he had ever intended. His feet were freezing and sore, the slapping noise each time they had hit the pavement that had accentuated the quiet night in his walk between the coach station and his current position had diminished as he'd started scuffing his feet through sheer lack of energy, and muscles too sore and hurting to lift them and take purposeful steps. It didn't help that he wasn't one hundred percent sure whereabouts he was going, each of the street signs had looked blurry as he had approached them and the black spots that he had to blink rapidly to clear where anything but a good sign. Alex didn't think he'd ever been this tired, but the promise of warmth and a small amount of comfort was enough to keep him shuffling onwards now he had finally turned into the right street he recognised.
Alex stopped, one hand reaching out for the black railing at the bottom of the steep stairs that mounted the front of the house and he took a deep breath. The curtains were drawn at the front of the house, he couldn't tell if there was a light on, but he'd take the risk if it meant he could get a much deserved sleep.
Slowly he made his way up the steps, more using his arms, although it pulled, yanked, stretched, the damaged skin on his body to get up the steps. He took a deep breath when he reached the door, and lifted a hand to knock. He hesitated, wondering if he would wake the houses occupants with the noise. He frowned, and instead dropped his hand to the handle, the chances of it being open were slim to none-
Alex blinked in surprise when the handle clicked down and the door jarred from its frame under his touch. He eased the door open and shuffled inside.
It was dark, there were no lights on from what he could see, but there were shadows through a door off the hall to the left and the sound of a commentator announcing a goal reached his ears as he pushed the front door closed. He stopped as he turned and a brighter light flicked on, the sound of the TV disappeared. It seemed deafening to his ears, and he shook his head slowly trying to clear the drowsiness that had seeped into his pores the minute the bitter wind had been blocked by the front door. He shut his eyes for a second and took a steadying breath, leaning back against the door.
Alex snapped his eyes open to hear a muffled yell, and he took a step forwards towards the door. He wondered if the deafening noise of the engine on the coach had done any serious damage to his hearing as the words and tone were unrecognisable, but he took a hesitant step forwards, one hand holding the hall wall for support as he eased the pressure onto his injured feet slowly. There were no more yells from the room, but he could hear muffled voices and Alex thought about turning back and taking his chances in getting to the bank. He was just steps away from the door, lost in indecision when the door was pulled open roughly. He took a step back, pushing his back against the wall waiting for whoever was leaving to come out, instead the sound of glass breaking made him move forwards.
He blinked to adjust his eyes to the change in lighting, as he approached and one voice drifted through his hazy state, everything about it the accent, the lilt at the end of a sentence. Everything familiar apart from the vehemence.
"Next time, I hope it's you. God knows you fucking deserve it."
It was enough to make him move forwards again, the thought of a warm bed and finally being able to rest under the eye of someone he knew would do him no harm. Alex stumbled in his over enthusiastic step, grabbing blindly for the doorframe and cursing under his breath as his elbow caught the bandage under his shirt. When he looked up, an involuntary cough ripped through his throat, alerting them if his damn clumsiness hadn't already and he swallowed heavily against the wetness in his throat before a dull thud made him look down to see the gun had fallen from his waistband from the sudden movement.
Fuck