Walker cursed under his breath as he trudged through the dense undergrowth of Brecon Beacons National Park. The gnats were relentless, and the uneven terrain did nothing to ease his growing frustration. This wasn't what he had signed up for when he joined Scorpia. As an assassin, his skills were best utilized in precision strikes and covert operations, not slogging through the Welsh countryside on a seemingly endless march.
He pushed a low-hanging branch out of his way, wishing for the umpteenth time that he was anywhere but here. The rest of the team, a mix of hardened operatives and fresh recruits, moved with a practiced silence, their expressions betraying nothing of their own discomfort. Walker wasn't sure if he admired them for it or if he simply didn't care. Right now, his feet hurt, his patience was thin, and he wanted this mission over with.
"Could be worse, Walker," came a voice from behind him. He turned to see Clive, a seasoned agent with a perpetual smirk. "At least we're not in the Amazon or the Sahara. I heard some of our guys are slogging through the jungle or baking in the desert right now. Britain's not so bad in comparison, eh?"
Walker grunted in response, unwilling to concede the point but unable to argue against it. "Yeah, but at least in the Sahara, you don't have to deal with all this mud," he muttered, wiping his hands on his trousers.
Clive chuckled. "True, but the rains here at least keeps us cool. In the desert, you'd be praying for this kind of weather."
Walker didn't bother replying. He knew Clive was right, but it did little to improve his mood. The mission was critical, that much was clear. Scorpia had deployed teams across some of the world's most important natural areas, each with a specific task to complete. Their objective in Brecon Beacons was still shrouded in secrecy, but Walker had his suspicions. As usual the board held cards close to their chest. Need to know information only, which in Walker's case wasn't very much and that only managed to provoke the frustration that he was feeling.
The team continued their march, the rugged beauty of the park lost on Walker as he focused on the path ahead. They were deep in enemy territory, and despite the picturesque setting, danger lurked around every corner. Being in such a near proximity of British SAS all the time didn't do any good on the nerves. He glanced at his watch, noting the time. They were on schedule, at least. The briefing had been clear: precision and timing were crucial.
They reached a small clearing, and the team paused to regroup. Walker took a moment to catch his breath, leaning against a tree and scanning the surrounding forest. It was eerily quiet, the usual sounds of wildlife subdued. He didn't like it.
"Alright, listen up," their leader, a stern-faced woman known only as Red, addressed the group. "We're about an hour out from the rendezvous point. Keep your eyes open and stay alert. We don't want any surprises."
Walker nodded, adjusting his gear and preparing to move out again. The sooner they reached their destination, the better. He wanted to get this over with and get out of this damned forest.
As they resumed their march, Walker couldn't shake the feeling that something big was about to happen. The presence of so many Scorpia agents in one place was unusual, to say the least. Especially since the organization had taken such a huge hit because of the meddling of one Alex Rider. Whatever this mission entailed, it was clearly of immense importance to warrant such an effort. He pushed these thoughts aside, focusing instead on the task at hand. There would be time for questions and answers later, once they had completed their objective. Maybe. He would just need to prove that he would be worthy of the answers.
For now, all he could do was keep moving and hope that the next few days would pass without incident.
Alex was up early, lacing his boots as the first light of dawn filtered through the trees. He sat outside his and Tom's tent, enjoying the tranquility of the morning. The camp was still and quiet, the only sounds were the occasional rustle of a tent or a bird calling in the distance. There was a little morning mist spreading across the landscape.
Alex felt a mix of anticipation and apprehension about the day ahead. The hike up Pen y Fan would be challenging, but it was the visit to the SAS camp that occupied his thoughts. He had laid awake long after Tom had fallen asleep, wondering if MI6 had poked their fingers into his life again and somehow engineered this field trip after all.
He had tried to convince himself that it was all a coincidence. It had been a never-ending circle of self-doubt and paranoia. After all he had learned the hard way, that coincidences didn't exist in his world anymore. But still…why would the agency bother to involve themselves with his school trip without contacting him about it, if there was something that they wished he would achieve here. Alex sighed. He would just have to make it through the day one moment at a time. Hoping that it was just unnecessary paranoia flooding his thoughts with doubt and there was no grand scheme lurking in the background.
Tom's head popped out from the tent beside him. "Morning already?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.
"Yeah," Alex replied. "But it's early. You should be able to still get some sleep if you want."
"Nah, I'm good. I think I'll join you outside, just a sec", Tom said and retreated to the tent. He emerged shortly after getting dressed and stretched as he stood up.
"So tell me, what got you all brooding out here when normal people are still happily asleep?" Tom asked trying to keep his tone conversational and looked at Alex.
"Just thinking about the hike," Alex lied smoothly. "It's supposed to be pretty challenging."
Tom rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. I bet you could make that hike using only one of your legs and blindfold on your face. You've done much more crazier stuff and we both know it. "
Alex grinned at his friend and opened his mouth to reply. Then they both startled when a new voice joined in the conversation.
"I would love to hear those stories. But speaking of crazy stuff, did you hear about the haunted cave near our campsite?" chimed in the voice. Alex and Tom turned to look at its direction and saw their classmate Liam approaching them with easy steps.
Alex raised an eyebrow at him and asked: "Haunted cave?"
"Yeah," Liam said, his eyes wide with excitement as he sit beside them on the ground. "Apparently, some old legend about miners who got trapped in there centuries ago. Their ghosts are supposed to haunt the place. Think we'll see any?"
Tom snorted. "Ghosts? Really, Liam? You'll believe anything."
"Well, don't be so fast to judge. It could be true!" Liam insisted. "I read about it online and some of the students talked about it yesterday. Carole said that her aunt saw one when she was hiking here a few years ago."
Alex chuckled, shaking his head. "Those are some campfire stories for sure. Don't worry, Liam. If we run into any ghosts, I'll try to make sure they don't scare you too much."
Liam huffed, crossing his arms. "You'll see. When you hear those ghostly whispers, you won't be laughing."
They continued their lightly teasing conversation and watched as the camp started to show signs of students waking up on their tents. Alex was feeling happier than he had in weeks. Here he was, far away from London, enjoying the morning with Tom and Liam. He couldn't remember when someone from their class, other than Tom, had joined his company with such ease and normality without trying to poke Alex with questions about his mysterious absences. Maybe it was the change of scenery that let people set aside their usual behavior patterns around him and gave the ability to just strike up a random conversation. Even if it was about something as absurd as ghosts.
By the time of breakfast, the campsite was buzzing with activity. Mr. Stevenson was making the rounds, ensuring everyone was up and had what they needed for the day. He approached Alex with a serious expression. He gestured for Alex to follow him a short distance away.
"Alex," Mr. Stevenson began, his tone low and concerned, "I need to talk to you for a moment."
Alex nodded. "Sure, Mr. Stevenson. What's up?"
Mr. Stevenson glanced around to make sure they were out of earshot before continuing. "I was told about your... disappearance in Venice. It caused quite a stir back home. The school received some concerning reports, and there were quite a few rumors flying around."
Alex's heart sank slightly. He had hoped his ordeal in Venice wouldn't follow him here, but clearly, news had spread. He had vanished in the middle of that trip in his search for Scorpia. "I'm very sorry about that. It was a complicated situation", Alex started to explain.
Mr. Stevenson raised a hand to stop him. "I understand that sometimes things happen beyond our control. And you've been attending school now and I'm glad about it and that you're feeling better after your many illnesses", here Mr. Stevenson paused and gave Alex a look that told that the teacher had some suspicions regarding his "illnesses". Alex stayed quiet,
"But I need you to understand something very important. Out here, in the wilderness, you can't go wandering off on your own. It's not just about your safety; it's about the safety of the entire group. We need to be able to rely on each other."
Alex met Mr. Stevenson's gaze, seeing the genuine concern in his eyes. "I get it, Mr. Stevenson. I won't wander off. I'll stick with the group."
Mr. Stevenson nodded, a hint of relief in his expression. "Good. We're here to have a memorable experience, but it has to be a safe one. If you ever feel the need to step away or if something's bothering you, talk to me or one of the other teachers, alright?"
"Alright," Alex agreed eager to get back to the group away from the teacher's watchful eyes. "Thanks for the heads-up."
"You're welcome," Mr. Stevenson replied, patting Alex on the shoulder. "Now, let's get back to the others shall we. We have a quite a hike ahead of us today"
"Everyone ready?" Mr. Stevenson called out when they got back to the group, and he received a chorus of affirmative responses. "Remember, stick with the group, stay hydrated, and enjoy the hike. The view from the top is worth the effort."
The students set off in high spirits, the morning air crisp and invigorating. Alex and Tom found themselves near the front of the group, their pace steady as they navigated the well-worn trail. The path wound through lush forests, across babbling streams, and up steep inclines.
As they climbed higher, the landscape opened up, revealing sweeping vistas of rolling hills and distant valleys. Alex found himself relaxing, the physical exertion and natural beauty a welcome distraction from his troubled thoughts.
At the summit of Pen y Fan, the group paused to catch their breath and take in the view. The panorama was breathtaking, the patchwork of fields and forests stretching out as far as the eye could see. Alex stood at the edge, the wind tugging at his hair, and for a moment, he felt a sense of peace.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Tom said, coming up beside him.
"Yeah," Alex replied. "It really is."
They lingered at the top, enjoying the moment and snapping photos before beginning the descent. The hike down was quicker, gravity doing its part to speed their progress. By the time they reached the base, the sun was high in the sky. No rain clouds in sight.
After a short break and a quick lunch, they set off for Henrhyd Falls. The trail led them through a dense forest, the sound of rushing water growing louder with each step. When they finally reached the waterfall, the sight was nothing short of spectacular. Water cascaded down a sheer cliff face, plunging into a crystal-clear pool below.
"Wow," Tom breathed, staring in awe. "This place is amazing."
Alex nodded, his gaze fixed on the waterfall. "Yeah, it is. Let's go see if we can find that hidden cave."
The group spent the afternoon exploring the area, some students splashing in the pool while others ventured behind the waterfall in search of the rumored cave. Alex and Tom joined the latter group, scrambling over slippery rocks and through a curtain of water to find a small, dark recess in the cliff face.
"Think this is it?" Tom asked, peering into the shadows.
"Maybe," Alex replied. The cave was small but intriguing, its walls glistening with water. He ran his hand along the rough stone, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu.
He had had to crawl into tight spaces more than enough times and being here at the opening of a small cave he suddenly felt the urge to leave. The memory of being trapped in a small space at the beginning of Damian Cray's twisted game, the narrow pipe he had wiggled through in Widow's palace, it all was returning to his mind and his heart started to beat faster as if he was there again. Breathe in, breathe out. Alex closed his eyes.
"Alex?" Tom's voice was coming from beside him. "Alex, you okay?"
Breathe in through the nose, hold, breathe out from the mouth. Alex noticed some tension leaving his shoulders. He hadn't noticed that he had squeezed his hands into fists until he forced all the fingers to relax and curl out.
"Maybe the withdrawals are hitting the druggie, eh?", sounded Will's voice, echoing from the stony walls surrounding them. Muffled a bit by the rushing water from the waterfall but still all words reaching clearly Alex's ears. "Or are you just such a wuss that a little cave escapade got you to piss your pants?"
Alex forced his eyes open glaring at Will who now stood at close proximity from them with some other boys from their class by his side. Alex's heart was still pounding in his chest and he hated to feel this way. After everything he had been through, all the horrors that he had faced, some small cave opening in the cliff wall got his fight or flight reaction all worked up. Ridiculous.
"Back off Will", Tom said in stern voice and glared at the boys in front of them.
"Or what? What would you do Harris?" Will continued to taunt them. Alex felt his pulse steadying as he got his composure back and he looked Will straight to the eyes.
"Well Will, we're so glad you could join us and show how it's done. If you are such an expert in cave exploring then sure, be my guest and go on through first", Alex smiled and waved his hand to the direction of the narrow opening to the dark shadows inside the stone wall.
Will's smile wavered and he glanced at the cave's direction with hesitant eyes. "I don't have to do anything you say, Rider", Will spat and turned on his heels before Alex had time to reply. Other boys glanced at their direction after following Will away from them.
"Would you tell me what that was about? You looked like you were about to have a panic attack" Tom asked with concern in his voice after making sure that the others had enough distance from them to prevent them from hearing what was said.
"It was nothing", Alex said. Tom looked at him with accusive eyes and Alex clenched his jaw. "Really Tom. I don't want to talk about it. It was nothing", Alex said sternly not looking away from his friend. Tom held his gaze a while longer before he sighed. "Okay, sure. I don't believe you but I'm willing to let it go. For now. Someday you are going to have to trust me enough to share the things that are bothering you. I'm your best friend Alex. Don't leave me out like this, okay?"
"Okay", Alex relented. "Someday. But not now. Come on, let's get out of here. I need some air"
As Alex and Tom emerged from behind the waterfall, they were greeted by Liam and Ellie, one of the girls in their class.
"Did you find anything cool?" Ellie asked holding a phone in her hand that she had clearly used to take a lot of pictures from the days events.
"Just a small cave," Alex said, grinning. "But it was pretty neat."
Tom glanced at him but didn't say anything.
Liam looked disappointed. "No ghosts, huh?"
"Not this time," Tom said looking at Liam. "But keep an eye out. You never know."
Liam's chuckled at that. "I'm going to keep looking. There's got to be something spooky around here." he grinned at them.
The exploration time was coming to an end and they regrouped to begin the hike back to the campsite. All of the students were tired but happy, their spirits high after a day filled with exploring beautiful places.
They arrived to the camp for dinner time and as they settled around the campfire to relax and eat, Alex felt a sense of camaraderie with his classmates that had been missing for a long time.
Only thing kicking his mood down a bit was overhearing Will reciting the story of what happened near the cave earlier today to some of their classmates that were willing to listen. His version painted Alex in a worse light, highlighting his "druggie" behavior and overlooking Will's own escape from the situation with tail behind his legs after Alex urged him to enter the cave himself. Before Alex got worked up enough to march to confront Will about his tailored version of the day's events, Mr. Stevenson stood up to address the group.
"Great job today, everyone. You tackled Pen y Fan like champions and explored Henrhyd Falls with such an enthusiasm. I'm so happy to see you enjoying some of the treasures that nature here has to offer for us. Tomorrow's another big day, so get some rest tonight okay. We've got the SAS camp visit in the morning."
The mention of the SAS camp brought a mix of excitement and apprehension. Alex could see it in the faces around him. For most of his classmates, it was a thrilling prospect. For Alex, it was a step back into a world he was trying to leave behind.
That night Alex lay awake, staring at the canvas above him. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, that there was more to this trip than met the eye. But for now, he had to focus on getting through tomorrow. One step at a time, he reminded himself. One step at a time.
Tomorrow it was back to hell on earth.
‐-
Author's note:
And that's it for the second chapter! Don't worry this isn't your regular Alex's class goes to Brecon Beacons SAS camp story even if that is their next destination.
I also want to get it out there that english is not my first language so in the case of any major language or grammar mistakes, I apologize. Let me know and I can fix those.
Leave a review if you've enjoyed the story so far and I'm also open for any feedback. This is my first fic after all. Help me get better and let me know what I got right.
Until next chapter!
