Thanks for the reviews, enjoy.
Warnings: Mentions of child abuse and kinda strong language
Disclaimer: Alex Rider does not belong to me
Friday night
Wolf grunted as he threw the bucket and mop into the cupboard. One of the brats had threw up in their room, leaving him to clean it up.
Screw MI6, he hadn't signed up to the army to be stuck with babysitting duty. In his opinion Ian Rider was nothing but a dirty traitor and so was his nephew if he was hiding serious classified information for his uncle.
If it was up to Wolf he would've just searched the teen's room and demanded to know where he had hidden it, apparently his unit didn't agree with him.
A groan and curse had Wolf cocking his head to the side, it had come from the kitchen, hand going to the gun tucked at the back of his jeans Wolf stealthily made his way to the room pausing at the sight that greeted him.
Alex sat in the middle of the floor Indian style rubbing at his knees and a scrubbing brush with a pot of water sat beside him "they're so going to bruise" the kid sighed, running a hand through his golden locks.
Raising an eyebrow Wolf stepped into the room "shouldn't you be in bed Cinderella? Its past curfew" Alex's head whipped up so fast Wolf wondered if he had gotten whiplash, causing him to smirk at the idea.
Alex scrambled to his feet at the smirk, he had seen that kind of smirk to often to know it usual meant trouble.
"Well?"
"P-punishment" Alex clenched his fists when he stuttered, he was stronger than that "I'm on punishment duty, I havta clean everything before going to bed" not that he wanted to go to bed, he mentally added, anything was better than the nightmares that haunted him
Wolf grunted at the words, rolling his shoulder as he studied the boy for the first time, he was bare footed with a pair of old sweats on, a white t-shirt showing the muscle on his torso and his blonde locks were ruffled, he was almost cute looking, not that Wolf would ever admit that out loud.
Stepping back Alex seemed to come to some sort of resolution "who are you?"
"Janitor, don't even think about it kid" he warned when he seen the tan hand reaching for a knife "I'm part of the army project, I'm sure Eagle has blabbed about it"
"So you must be Pig?"
Wolf spluttered "the names Wolf, kid" from the smirk he received he guessed the kid had already knew that "you're the one whose uncle just died, right" it was aimed to hurt him but all he got was a glare.
"What's it to you?" Alex stared up brown eyes meeting grey "if you don't mind I have work to do, I'd rather get to my room before the morning" he muttered falling to his knees and picking up the brush again, hands red from scrubbing.
Looking over the half cleaned floor Wolf raised an eyebrow, this was like mess duty back at camp, he hated it with a passion "why are you on punishment?" he questioned.
Alex didn't glance up as he muttered "I spray painted a couple of windows, no biggie…the owners may have been inside at the time"
Wolf had to hold in a laugh at that and instead cleared his throat gruffly "too bad they didn't arrest you, are you stupid kid, do you like getting in trouble?"
Face growing red with anger Alex stood to glare at the man "who do you think you are?" he snapped "back off, it's none of your business, but if you must know then yes I do like getting in trouble" because being in trouble gave him a thrill that he craved, that had his blood pumping and mind blank.
Alex seen the man's fist clench at his tone and took a step back.
Holding his temper Wolf growled under his breath "whatever kid, I'm sure it will benefit a lot of people when you end up in jail"
Alex sighed under his breath, so this man was a bully, he was use to them. All his life Alex had been looked down upon because people seen him as nothing but a filthy orphan that nobody wanted.
'Who would want a little brat like you?' the hand in his hair tightened and Alex forced himself not to cry, just like every other time.
The answer was none.
Alex had learnt the hard way that he was to be alone for the rest of his life.
"Whatever" Alex grumbled "I'm sick of being around men like you, you're nothing but a bully, does it make you happy beating down on a kid half your age" he brushed past Wolf "pathetic"
Alex didn't wait around to see how Wolf reacted to the words instead he raced to his room and locked the door. Alex's mobile blipped as he sat down with a text from his best friend, Tom.
Let's head out I heard that James was having a party it could be a bit of fun
Im in I'll meet you at the park in 20.
Pulling jeans and a black hoodie on Alex pulled open his window, balancing on the sill until he made sure nobody had heard, when nobody can rushing to his room Alex shimmed on to the drain pipe by his window and lowered himself down.
Throwing a smirk over his shoulder Alex took off into the night.
….
Wolf groaned as someone banged the door open, he had fallen asleep on one of the sofas in the staff room while waiting on Fox to finish up on paper work, he didn't envy his friends occupation in the operation.
"Hey mate" Fox poked his friend "do you have the keys to get into the top rooms?"
Wolf cracked an eye open "yes, why?"
"Pete told me that Alex was meant to be on punishment but apparently he left it half done, I was told to go get him before I left but he isn't opening the door" Fox explained with a frown.
"Oh course it's because of the stupid brat" Wolf pushed himself up and stomped up the stairs, grumbling under his breath "listen up kid if you don't open up I'm coming in anyway" when he got no answer Fox told him to go ahead and open it.
The room was covered in papers and clothes but there was no sign of Alex, going to the bathroom Fox checked the teen wasn't in it before going to the window.
"Smart kid" Fox held up a piece of cardboard that had been shoved under the window so it wouldn't close fully.
"What are you doing?"
Fox looked to the doorway to see Chase standing behind Wolf "do you know where Alex went?" he closed the window fully so Alex wouldn't be able to sneak in again.
Chase eyed the two men with distrust "he goes out all the time, it's no big deal, he'll be back before morning bed checks" he crossed his arms with an anger look "he never brings me with him anymore" he muttered.
Fox ran a hand over his face, eyebrows pinching in stress "right, I'll call Snake and Eagle to let them know Alex is gone, we need to find him before anybody else does" he closed the teens door "I'll take the north side, you take the east Wolf"
"Christ Fox, let the kid get himself killed and it'll solve all our problems" Wolf ignored the two males and made his way down the stairs.
Chase was stiff with panic as he followed Wolf down the stairs "don't you touch my friend!"
"Calm down" Fox set a hand on the black haired boys shoulder "I won't let Wolf touch Alex, I promise" he took off after his friend.
…..
"B-bye Alllexx!" Tom shouted from where he turned the corner, watching where he put his feet in order to stay up right.
Alex laughed loudly as he waved after his best friend with the vodka bottle held loosely in the other hand, he took a gulp of the alcohol raw savoring the burn in his throat.
Pivoting on his heels Alex stumbled through the gates of the park, settling at the edge of the lake and digging through his pockets in hunt of his phone "stupid phone, stupid, stupid" he hiccuped "ohhh I found yyyouu" he squinted to get the numbers to come clearly into focus.
After the fifth try Alex was finally able to see the time 4:12 highlighted on his screen "oops" he chucked the phone to the side and stared down into to the water, the lamp post over him casting shadows over his young face.
'I like you like this Alex, you're so relaxed' hands were on his shoulder leading him towards the lake.
Trying to shake the hands off Alex twisted to face the man 'pllease stop Cal' he whined holding the man's arm 'I don't want to play anymore' the 13-year-old sobbed.
Callum delivered a slap to the teens face 'do we cry Alex, do we?' he shook the blonde.
'N-no'
'I guess I'll have to teach you a lesson'
Water rushed up Alex's nose and into his throat as his head was dunked into the lake water, the hand in his hair providing comfort when he knew it shouldn't.
The empty Vodka bottle smashed as Alex threw it from him with a shout of rage "sonofabitch!" tears fell freely down his cheeks "I hate you!" his hands punched the pavement leaving his knuckles bloodied.
"Alex?"
Alex knew the voice immediately but he didn't wipe the tears away instead he sobbed "g-go away" he ordered brokenly "j-just leave meee alone like eve'one else"
Fox knelt down so he was sitting beside the boy "I'm afraid I can't do that Alex" he glanced over the bloodied knuckles and broken glass.
Alex dipped his hand into the water the clear blue turning red "it's cold" he noted "I don't 'member it being that cold"
"It's nearly five in the morning Alex of course it's going to be cold" Fox received a hum in response "you come here often?"
"No"
"You're drunk" Fox stated "you do know that you're under age, right?"
Alex narrowed his red eyes and wiped his nose on his sleeve "you know you're old, right?" he chuckled at his own joke before falling back onto the dirt ground.
Fox scanned the park to spot his unit but they were yet to arrive "are you okay Alex?" it was a stupid question but honestly Fox was worried about the boy who had went from sobbing to laughing in seconds.
"No" there was a silence before Alex sighed "is it mad that I sometimes miss 'im?"
"Who?"
"Prince"
Fox racked his brains to remember who the name belonged to but he couldn't put the name to a face "I'm sure it's not mad Alex, was he a friend?"
Alex gave a careless shrug "Sam said he was only being mean and that he shouldn't be allowed near children but he was nice sometimes and he always said sorry after…he was the only one who didn't leave me" a laugh bubbled up "m'crazy" he admitted "I enjoyed having him around, I didn't care if it meant he beat the shit outta me 'cause at least someone noticed me"
Frozen with shock Fox swallowed thickly storing the information away for a later date "I need to ask you something Alex" he quietly made note that the boy was crying again "before your uncle died, did he give anything to you?"
Alex's features twisted into a serious line that was far too old for his age "I can't trust anyone, you can never trust someone"
"Fox!" his unit had made their arrival so sighing Fox dragged Alex to his feet and let the teen lean on him as they stumbled to the car "everyone needs someone they can trust kid, even you"
'Do you trust me Alex?'
'Yes'
"I can't trust"
Please review guys,
Robin Rider x