A/N: So the next chapter is here. Bit of a filler, but I'll update on Friday, promise. (Unless I decide to go and commit suicide for like failing my maths exam on Thursday) Anyway, read and enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I own Alex Rider as I am Anthony Horrowitz. I will swear to that in court. You know what they say... insanity is the best defence!
***
Snake heard the gun go off from the woods. Immediately, he started running back to the house, Sebastian close on his heels.
They arrived to find the door kicked in. Snake shot Sebastian a meaningful look and cautiously entered the house. They could hear light, panicked breathing coming from the kitchen. Snake raised his gun and pushed open the door. Nothing had prepared him for the sight that met him.
Wolf was lying on the floor, ashen faced and shaking, blood covering his chest. Snake immediately dropped his gun and hurried to his side.
"Where?" he asked bluntly.
Wolf tried to answer, lifting an arm and opening his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a low groan of pain.
Snake bit his lip and began to cut away his unit-leader's top.
The bullet had hit his shoulder, cutting several major arteries and just grazing the side of his lung, though thankfully failing to pierce it.
"Wolf," he muttered. "We need to get you to hospital."
"Wait," said Sebastian, and Snake turned to glare at him. They didn't have time for this. "Where are Silvia and the children?"
"Children... Maria's room..." he trailed off for a moment, his face going even paler.
"Silvia... Jack... taken..."
***
Alex was curled up on the train station when they called him. He had spent the night here, waiting for a train, but none stopped at a remote station such as this in the middle of the night and he had actually managed to fall asleep, only waking up to the tinny sound of his ringtone – 007 theme tune, Smithers' idea of a joke. Half-asleep, he answered it on automatic, barely registering Jack's number flashing on caller ID.
"Hello?" he said, blearily.
"Hello, Mr Rider."
It wasn't Jack's voice.
"Who is this?" he asked, suspiciously, instantly alerted by the sinister voice on the other end.
"This is Scorpia. We have Silvia san Luca, and your precious Jack. If you do not do exactly what I say, you will never see either of them alive again."
Alex didn't bother to ask him to prove it. He could hear Jack screaming in the background, yelling at him to ignore them. She was hysterical. There was a meaty thud, and her screams fell silent.
"You will be on Albert Bridge at midnight tonight. If you are not, they will die."
***
It was dark when Alex reached London again and he had cramp in his leg from spending the majority of the train journey in the confines of the train's miniscule toilet – avoiding the conductor. He was lucky that the conductor hadn't thought it was suspicious.
He mingled effortlessly with the crowd flowing out of the station, keeping a wary eye out for potential agents. They generally weren't hard to spot, Alex had found, for their eyes always darted through the crowd, searching relentlessly, but today there were none. It surprised Alex for a minute and he paused in the shadow of a shop, his eyes desperately scanning the passing crowd for tells, but there were none. Either Scorpia agents had got far better in the last four days, or they were confident enough in their motivation that they did not think he would try anything.
He walked to Chelsea and entered his house. He knew he was being watched, he could feel it. If it was Scorpia there was no need for them to intercept him just yet and if it was MI6... The door opened behind him and he turned around.
It was MI6.
"Agent Rider?" said the black-suited man.
Alex nodded.
"I have orders to take you to the bank."
***
Fifteen minutes later, Alex found himself sitting in front of Mrs Jones.
"Alex," she breathed. He raised his eyebrows; she almost seemed relieved to see him. "Have you any idea how much you worried us? Completely dropping off the radar? One of our best agents goes missing, right after he is reported to be involved in a gun fight with one of the most powerful terrorist organisations of this age? Have you any idea?"
He blinked. This was new. She had dropped all pretence of not caring.
"Scorpia contacted me this morning," he informed her. "They have two hostages and will kill them if I do not appear on Albert Bridge at midnight tonight."
Mrs Jones gave a sharp intake of breath. "The hostages will not be on the bridge, Alex, you do understand this, don't you?"
"Of course," he said, inclining his head. "I will not be on the bridge either. I will be in Venice."
Mrs Jones froze. "You will be where?" she asked, hoarsely.
"Venice," he calmly replied. "I am sick of having to look over my shoulder every time I turn around. I am going to finish this... one way or another."
Mrs Jones stared at him, her pale face losing what little colour it had had.
"Do you have weapons?" asked Alex, politely.
She didn't answer, instead she reached over and pressed a button on her intercom.
"William?" she asked her personal assistant faintly. "Could you please ask Smithers to come up here for a minute?"
"Of course, Mrs Jones," came the reply. There was a pause, then "He will be along in a moment."
Smithers walked through the door a few minutes later. He looked surprised to see Alex, but didn't comment, simply taking a seat opposite Mrs Jones, and coincidentally next to Alex.
"Mrs Jones. What can I do for you?"
"Alex has undertaken a new mission. He will need the best you can provide him with."
"The best?!" exclaimed Smithers, "But Mrs Jones, you know that most of my current projects are explosive!"
Mrs Jones took a long look at Alex. He was no longer a child – she finally had to admit that to herself – and this was something he felt he had to do. She didn't blame him – who would want to live with Scorpia seeking their death?
She looked Smithers directly in the eye as she replied. "The best, Mr Smithers."
***
It was quarter to twelve, Italian time, and an hour earlier in England. Alex had landed in Venice about twenty minutes ago and was now lying on the roof, across from Widow's palace, a pair of binoculars in his hands. So far he had spotted five guards mostly situated on the roof tops around him, or at the windows of the villa itself. None were lower than the first floor. Alex smiled, his plan would work.
His plan was actually quite simple – destroy Widow's Palace. This was head operations for Scorpia, more so than ever after it had ceased to also be a private house for Julia Rothman. If he took this place down, they would collapse. He knew that there would be prisoners in there – not just Jack and Silvia but probably other agents who had been caught – and he knew he would have to get them out first, but apart from that his plan was almost ridiculously easy to carry out.
Like so many buildings in Venice, the villa was partially supported on pillars, directly above the canal. Alex would attach explosives to these pillars, as well as dropping them randomly throughout the building on his prison break. The building would become one huge fireball, before drowning in the Grand Canal. MI6 was somewhere nearby, along with the Italian equivalent, ready to scoop up any survivors and arrest them.
Alex had refused to tell Mrs Jones his plan – somehow he could tell that MI6 would not be able to officially approve: it was too destructive, too messy, not to mention the high loss of life and huge risk. All they knew was that they would be able to arrest a large number of Scorpia agents at one time. If any survived.
***
Alex did not know it, but security was high tonight, exceptionally high, for all eight board members sat around a long dark table, looking at a computer screen on the wall that showed a bridge in London. Tonight, all of Scorpia was looking towards England, towards the capture of Alex Rider. They didn't realise they should be looking far closer to home.
***
A/N: Ok, so this is a bit of a filler, I admit it, but if I had gone straight onto the next chapter it wouldn't have made much sense, now, would it? And aren't you happy? Wolf didn't die! I even promise that he'll make a full recovery. It surprises me that when the sniper was about to shoot Alex, no-one was particularly worried, but as soon as it's Wolf half of you try to come after me with pitchforks! (Yes I'm talking about YOU. You know who you are!) You didn't really think I'd let him die, did you? I'm hurt. You obviously don't know me at all!
Then again, I have killed Jack and Alex in other stories... so maybe you had some justification... but anyway.
REVIEW! Your god commands you!