Hey everyone! Long time no update! Sry, but school has been kicking my ass lately so updates will few and far between till summer. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this.
Disclaimer: I do Not own Alex Rider
Brecon Beacons was hell. Jack was sure of it. Not only was she no longer allowed into the Mess Hell, she had to follow K-Unit to wherever they were going to be. The Sergeant had refused to let her go three feet near the building since she'd poisoned his trainees and she was now taking meals in his office, with him. He also wasn't losing sight of her for more than an hour at a time unless she was sleeping. She'd protested but the man was adamant about her not causing more trouble.
"Just take away all my fun, why don't ya?" she said sarcastically.
"We have a schedule to keep Jack," the man replied. "We can't afford for you to screw it up anymore than you already have. And don't even think about complaining to MI6 because I'm sure they'll only back me up." Jack mustered up her most offended look.
"Excuse me," she said, glaring at the soldier. "But I in no way need MI6 to fight my battles."
"Isn't that why you're here?" he asked. "Because they're fighting your battle against whoever brunt your house down."
"That wasn't my battle," she said vehemently. "It's not my fault the boys I work for like to make enemies."
"What are you talking about?" he asked sounding a little confused.
"Don't judge what you don't understand," Jack told him.
"Who's judging?" he replied. "I'm just making an observation."
"No, you're judging," she said. "I'm here for a reason. And it's not because my battles are out of control. It's because I've been caught up in someone else's"
"Whose?"
"Nobody you'd know," she replied.
"Try me," he said.
"No."
"Don't trust me?" he asked quietly and Jack wasn't sure if he was yanking her chain or not. She decided he was.
"No further than I could throw you," she replied and received a smile. Apparently, that was exactly the answer he'd expected. The subject was dropped after that and they never breached it again.
Because she was on a proverbial leash and the Sergeant was always near K-Unit she got to see more training than she'd originally thought she'd be able to. However, Alex himself wasn't always there; like when they were at the shooting range. He wasn't allowed to even be near the range according to the Sergeant.
And that was where Jack found herself at the moment. That damned shooting range where she got to stand there and watch four men shoot at targets. Talk about boring.
The soldier doing the shooting training came to report to the Sergeant who then went down to talk to K-Unit. Or belittle them. You could argue it either way.
"That was quite the prank you pulled," the shooter soldier said and Jack glanced at him sideways. He was a typical SAS man, big, muscular, and hard to read.
"Thank you," she replied not sure of what else to say.
"It wasn't a compliment," he said and while his tone was flat Jack could tell he wasn't happy with her. Him and every other male in the compound, meaning everyone.
"Sounded like one," she shot back.
"Tell me, why poison everyone?" he asked.
"It was easier," she said. At his look, she continued. "To poison just the people I wanted would have been too difficult. I couldn't do it at the table and they don't let their food out of their sight once it's in their hands. So I just messed with the food as a whole."
"Bit overkill," he noted.
"True," Jack replied. "But it got the job done."
"Do you work for the government?" he asked. To him she seemed like the kind of person who should be in intelligence work.
"Not directly," she replied.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I work for someone who works for the government," she said.
"Cub?"
"Cub."
"Why?" Jack considered her answer carefully. What could she say that would make his curiosity satisfied but not give anything away? Everyone was curious about Cub. Who wouldn't be?
"Someone has to make sure he eats his veggies and does his homework," she replied. The two fell silent after that as K-Unit resumed their shooting and the trainer had to watch. The Sergeant returned to their observing spot about five meters behind the Unit and after twenty or so minutes Jack was ready to burst.
This was so unfair! There had been no permanent damage except to pride and egos and the trainees had all resumed light training by noon the next day. Wolf had even stopped glaring at her and Alex. That was quite an accomplishment in her book, not something to be punished. It all would have tolerable if she wasn't so freaking BORED!
"I'm bored," she voiced.
"Too bad," the Sergeant growled.
"There has to be something I can do," Jack pushed. "I'll even file shit."
"No."
"Ugh! You are so impossible!" she exclaimed.
"Stop being stupid," the Sergeant snapped. The two glared at each other until the American had to blink in order to save her eyeballs.
"Fine," she growled. "Train me."
"Excuse me?" the Sergeant asked, confused.
"You heard me," Jack replied. "Train me."
"Why would I train you?" The Sergeant asked. Jack paused trying to come up with a valid reason.
"Because I'm here, I'm in danger, and I need to be able to protect myself," she said.
"Take kick boxing lessons," he said a bit snidely.
"That's not the same," she said. "At least let me practice on my own."
"Practice what?" The Sergeant asked clearly not expecting her to know how to do anything SAS related.
"My aim," she said nodding in the direction of the shooting range.
"You can shoot?" the trainer asked. Jack turned towards him to see that he was genuinely surprised.
"Yes, I can," she said simply.
"How good are you?" he asked.
"Doesn't matter," The Sergeant interrupted. "I'm not giving her a gun."
"Why not?" Jack asked. "I won't shoot anybody."
"Sir, what harm could it do?" the trainer asked only to be on the receiving end of one intense glare.
"C'mon," Jack said. "I know how to handle a gun." The Sergeant turned back to scrutinize her. She didn't really expect him to allow her to practice but she was hoping. She hadn't been to a shooting range since before Ian died nearly a month ago. She'd be lying if she didn't say that she enjoyed the thrill of being in the range. She'd been taught for purely self-defense reasons but feeling the power of the gun gave her a rush she rarely found anywhere else. She enjoyed it but prayed she'd never have to use that skill even though it was starting to look as if that was no longer an option.
"Where did you learn to shoot?" the Sergeant asked.
"D.C.P.D.," she replied.
"Father a cop?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," she replied laying on the respect hoping it would help him to agree. "Older brothers too." He took another moment to decide.
"Alright," he said, though he still sounded a little unsure. He nodded to the trainer while she beamed at the prospect of ending her boredom. The trainer handed her a semi-automatic and she let it dangle at her side while waiting for another target sheet to be set up.
When everything was in position, Jack stepped up to the firing line, took aim, and emptied the clip. By the time the red head was done all the men were staring. She turned and gave a sweet smile at the sight of six soldiers practically gaping at her.
"What?" she said. "I told you I could shoot."
"You never said you were that good!" the trainer said. Apparently they hadn't expected her to hit bulls-eye every time much less once.
K-Unit looked genuinely surprised at her skill. Jack gave a little frown. Was it really that hard to believe? She looked over at the Sergeant who had taken on a more calculating look as he eyed the target behind her.
"What else can you do?" he asked.
"I make a mean omelet," she replied and the man rolled his eyes. Jack couldn't really do anything SAS related except shoot. She was more of a brains over brawn type of girl. Although, Eagle did look kinda cute and she wasn't entirely sure if he had full use of his mental capabilities. But the same thing could be said about her.
"What about Cub?" the Sergeant asked.
"What about him?" she replied.
"Does he have the same skill?" he asked gesturing at the mangled target. Jack nodded.
"I made sure of it," she replied. Alex didn't have the same love for the shooting range that she had but he could defiantly shoot as well, if not better than, her. The Sergeant continued to have the same thoughtful expression. Jack wondered just what the man was up to.
"That was awesome!" Eagle exclaimed. They were all back in the hut sitting on their respective cots. Alex still had yet to return from whatever it was he was doing. Alex's MI6 status meant a slightly different training than K-Unit. He'd told her while they were learning to shoot each other he was learning how to cover it up. Jack wasn't sure what he meant by that and was almost positive she didn't really want to know but would probably find out anyway.
"I can't believe you can shoot that well," Snake said.
"How'd you get that good?" Wolf asked. Jack was no where near the level these men would be at, at the end of their training but for a supposed 'civilian' she was very good. K-Unit's training called for more precision and subtlety. Her training called for shooting the gun wielding thug as many times as it takes. The joys of inner city cop work.
"Practice," she replied vacantly, staring at the door. Where was that boy? She was tired of never knowing what he was doing or where he was. She supposed she should get used to it.
"You okay Jack?" Fox asked seemingly understanding her mood. She looked back over to him.
"Do you know where Cub is?" she asked trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible.
"Doing some special training," Fox replied. Jack nodded her head and turned back towards the door. Not the answer she was looking for. Jack gave a small sigh as the conversation continued without her. She didn't pay attention.
Jack had suddenly been struck by the reality of what was happening. Well, she had known but the shooting range had forced her to know.
Alex Rider was training to be a spy. A teenage, fourteen-year-old spy. Soon he would be shipped off to Only-Blunt-Knows-Where to do Only-Blunt-Knows-What. She wondered how long he'd be gone. Would have to do anything like K-Unit was supposed to do?
Jack had told Wolf that he needed to understand that shit happens and that he should just take it in stride. She was now finding it hard to swallow her own words. Alex was anything but orthodox. How long before this strange teen got hurt? Or worse, dead?
Their house had already been burnt to the ground. She was on the run from one of Ian's enemies. Alex was about to make enemies of his own. Powerful enemies, if Blunt's uninformative riddles were interpreted correctly.
Jack gave another sigh as it started to rain again. They were so screwed.
Next Chapter: Jack helps Wolf with something.