Playing Dead
May Eve prompt(s): Alex and Yassen, family moment. K-Unit eavesdrops.
*So, Yassen alive, and Alex being (he thinks) dead. For assassins and spies, what's a family moment? Both being alive, I'd think…*
In-between the Gentlemen's screams - he tells Yassen things, babbles them like a river, pleads, and begs. All information is valuable, but not all information comes clean as blood-free facts.
Little things, the flowers for a funeral returned, with a single yarrow crowning. Yassen does not know what that means until the Gentlemen whimpers it.
"Good health." MI6 meant either for the Gentlemen to have good health, or a taunt, that the target was missed. That MI6 wants the Gentlemen alive or dead, Yassen does not care. Alex Rider is supposed to be dead; the funeral is Friday, the date seared into Yassen's memory.
"Check the casket." The Gentlemen chuckles as he dies. Dying is apparently funny and he has no fear to someone who has sent so many into death's arms. It is what it means to be an assassin – he remembers that well, and as no one else will – Yassen buries the Gentlemen, though he says not a word after.
Its good advice the Gentlemen gave, the casket isn't empty – but it is not Alex in it.
When Yassen looks, he finds SAS. A team of four: the thing is, last Yassen knew, SAS trained in –and worked best as - teams of five. Like injured predators, they are loyal to their fellows, and when Yassen checks in on St. Dominic – he finds who he's been looking for.
Alex Rider is sharing a room with Paul Drevin: there are coincidences in life, but not like this.
"Lucky." Yassen tells Alex, who isn't as asleep as he pretends. Alex's eyes gleam up at him.
"I thought you were dead, Gregorovich." Alex says, shakily. The assassin shakes his head.
"The likes of you and I do not die so easily. You saw what I wanted MI6 and Scorpia to see. It was not meant for you, my apologies." To make it up to him, Yassen gives him a kiss, it's long and lingering and under hospital sheets it sends Alex's toes to curling.
He moans into it, fingers tangling in Yassen's hair.
It's then that the small hairs at the back of his neck raise and his skin tingles, Yassen knows. They are being watched, and are not alone. A quick glance confirms it, that Paul still sleeps off a sedative in his hospital food. It took the SAS team less time to find him then Yassen would like.
"Who watches you?" Yassen whispers into Alex's ears, his eyes closed - Alex replies.
"K-Unit, my SAS team – I trained with them." It explains many things.
"I'll keep you close." Yassen promises. Alex nods then watches him leave. He'll not be gone long from his boy's side. A near death experience is one thing spies may risk – but when they play at being dead, well – that is assassin's business – and Yassen does not take such risk worth it.
Yassen lets the SAS team trial him into an alley, and waits – they, after all, desire the same thing as he does. They'll need a warning to do a job well.
"Get him out of here." Taking the window up and into a four-story building is something to see, it's funny, how ridiculous and furious their faces are. SAS are not fools, and know how to follow good advice. Most especially when that advice comes from a killer who has had his eyes (and other things) on their teammate - when they pack Alex Rider up and take him away (perhaps thinking to get him away from him - the assassin), they never dream (unless in nightmare) that Yassen Gregorovich will be waiting for them.
But he is, and they'll just have to live with it.
Or not…