The steady thrum of the helicopter's rotors filled the cabin, vibrating through the metal floor beneath Ben's feet. He sat rigid in his seat, gaze fixed on Raven, who lay strapped to a stretcher onboard as the medical team frantically worked to stabilize him. Raven's breathing was shallow, his skin pale, and blood soaked the bandages wrapped tightly around his leg.
Jaguar sat across him having his shoulder checked on. It was shallow graze and bandaged quickly. Ben looked around the others, they all wore serious expressions but looked unharmed. Unlike Alex had been. Ben swallowed as his mind drifted again back to the moment when they had left Alex behind. The thought tore through him.
Realistically, they hadn't had a choice, but that didn't make it any easier. It still felt like the worst betrayal. Alex had told them to go, shouted for them to leave without him, but that image of him falling behind, bloodied and on his knees, haunted Ben's thoughts. He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as guilt gnawed at him.
Viper had been sitting silently, staring blankly at the floor. His composure was gone, replaced with disbelief. "I can't believe we left him…" he muttered, his voice barely audible over the roar of the rotors.
"We didn't have a choice," Wolf said, though the words felt hollow even as they left his mouth. "But we can send another helicopter for him."
Ben nodded grimly. "Yeah."
He took out the radio, his fingers trembling slightly as he pressed the button.
"Colonel Sanders, this is Agent Daniels," Ben said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him. "We're airborne, headed to the SAS camp with Raven and the rest of the team. But—" he hesitated for a split second, the guilt creeping in again. "Alex—Cub—is still back there. He's hurt. It'd be best to send another chopper to fetch him."
There was a brief pause, the radio crackling before Sanders' voice came through. "What was his status?"
Ben swallowed, his throat tightening. "It was pretty bad. We managed to give him a fentanyl lollipop to help him move easier, but he'll need medical attention soon. We saw the reinforcements arriving on the ground as we left."
Another pause. "Understood, Agent Daniels. We'll dispatch another chopper. How's Raven?"
Ben glanced towards the medical team, who were working feverishly to stabilize the unconscious man. One of the medics, his face tight with concentration, looked up briefly and shook his head. "We need to get him to a proper hospital," the medic said, glancing at the others in the helicopter. "He's stable for now, but we're pushing it. He needs surgery, and the camp infirmary isn't equipped for this."
"He's stable for now," Ben relayed into the radio, "but it's not looking good. The medics say he'll need surgery. The camp infirmary isn't enough."
"Roger that," Colonel Sanders replied. "Better to take him straight to hospital then. Reroute to UHW I'll call them ahead. But if you're close to this camp, I'd believe that Jones wants you here Agent Daniels."
Ben looked at the medic in front of him who gave a nod. "Copy that Colonel. We'll be coming through the camp first."
As the radio call ended, Ben looked to Eagle, who was staring out of the helicopter, lost in his own thoughts. Snake, sitting across from them, was gripping his seat, his knuckles white with frustration.
"What the hell went so wrong that we had to leave Cub behind?" Snake demanded suddenly, his voice sharp. "How the fuck did it come to this?"
Wolf exhaled heavily. "Scorpia was closing in. We were running out of time and Raven needed immediate evac. We would have risked losing the helicopter if we stayed there longer without any ammunitions. I don't like it either Snake. But Cub has a chance, the reinforcements arrived."
Ben listened Wolf's words, understood his point, but it didn't ease the weight on his chest. A chance. That was all they had. The image of Alex, falling to the ground as bullets whizzed past him, played on a loop in Ben's mind. He should have done more, found a way to protect him.
Snake's frustration boiled over, his voice rising. "You don't what that kid went through, everything he did to keep us safe, to get us out. And we let him stay behind! We might've just lost him!"
"We won't lose him," Ben cut in, though he wasn't sure if he was trying to convince Snake, or himself. "The reinforcements are there. He's tough. He'll make it."
Viper ran a hand through his hair. "He better make it," he muttered, shaking his head. "After all he's been through…"
One of the medics looked up from Raven, his face strained. "We're approaching the camp, but we don't have time for landing."
Wolf glanced at Ben, his expression hardening. "We'll just drop off then. Let's attach the ropes."
Ben nodded, rising to his feet.
"Get ready!" Wolf barked, signalling the team as the helicopter approached the SAS camp.
They were above the camp now and the reality of Alex not being there with them was gripping Ben harder with each passing second. The feeling of guilt clung to him like a shadow. The rotors roared above them as they opened the cabin door and Ben thought about Alex, who was still out there somewhere, fighting to survive.
Falcon was crouching low behind a crumbling stone wall, his rifle raised, eyes scanning the battlefield before him. The sound of gunfire and explosions echoed through the abandoned holiday resort that was now engulfed in chaos. Scorpia operatives were trying to hold their ground, putting up a fight, but they were running low on ammunition. The SAS had arrived in full force, and it was only a matter of time before they crushed whatever resistance was left.
Lynx and Bear were to his left, moving in sync, their faces grim and focused. Despite the intensity of the battle, one thought was at the front of J-Unit's mind—find Viper. They had gotten confirmation from the Colonel that Viper had been held here with the group of school children that had gone missing on their watch. The failure still stung fresh in their minds. The kids had been found by K-Unit, but the missing soldiers were still here according to the intel. The helicopter they had seen taking off was a beacon of hope but they didn't know yet if Viper had been on it.
Falcon kept moving, his boots crunching on the ground as they advanced. They pushed forward with brutal efficiency, taking down Scorpia operatives as they came across them. Each engagement was fierce, but the SAS was overwhelming them. The air was thick with smoke and the scent of gunpowder, and Falcon's heart raced as the battle raged on.
"On me!" Lynx's voice crackled through the earpiece, and Falcon moved to follow, Bear covering their flank. Together, they cut through the enemy forces, apprehending a few who had dropped their weapons in surrender, and taking down those who foolishly tried to resist.
The battle began to shift in their favour. Falcon could see the panic in their enemies' eyes as they realized their defeat was inevitable. One by one, the remaining members of Scorpia were captured or killed, the battle dying down as SAS took hold of the situation.
But the fight wasn't completely over yet. Some of the operatives that had ran out of ammo and were coming to understand that their side was losing, tried to save themselves by fleeing into the woods around them.
Falcon, Lynx and Bear had followed two operatives that had broken away from the main group, disappearing into the darkness at the edge of the resort. They moved quietly, the sound of their footsteps barely noticeable as they pursued the fugitives. Falcon's eyes caught sight of the enemies ahead, moving towards the decaying huts scattered by the lake.
"Got eyes on them," Falcon muttered into his comm, signalling the others.
The two operatives were quick, but not quick enough. J-Unit advanced silently, and before they could react, Falcon and his team struck. Lynx tackled one man to the ground, his rifle at the ready, while Bear locked down the second one, his strength overpowering the man in seconds.
They struggled briefly but were easily subdued. Falcon secured the captives, binding their hands and ensuring they couldn't escape. As he stood, catching his breath, he glanced towards the lake, the water was still and eerie under the moonlight.
Suddenly, a sharp, agonized cries of pain pierced the night air. It was a sound that made Falcon's blood run cold.
"What the hell was that?" Bear asked, his voice tense. The sounds continued to echo from the distance.
"Someone's still out there," Lynx said, his eyes narrowing as he glanced towards the decaying huts and the lake behind them. They couldn't see anyone from their spot but the sound came clearly from the direction of the dark lake until, suddenly, it stopped.
"Bear, stay with the captives," Falcon ordered, his voice low but urgent. "Lynx, with me."
Without waiting for a response, Falcon began moving towards the direction where the cries had come from. His heart pounding in his chest, holding his rifle at the ready. They moved past the huts surrounding the lake following the shoreline and, in the distance, Falcon saw someone.
A small figure was emerging from the water. The person's movements were slow, uncoordinated and staggering. Falcon and Lynx were too far to be able to see his face in the darkness but they watched as the figure took one step, then another, before collapsing to the ground at the edge of the lake.
"Shit," Falcon cursed, picking up the pace. He and Lynx rushed towards the person lying on the ground, their boots pounding against the muddy shore. Falcon's mind raced as they closed the distance, the cry from earlier still echoing in his ears. The cry had been one of sheer agony. Whoever this was, they were hurt, badly.
The cold water of the lake clung to Alex's body as he dragged himself to the shore, his limbs heavy, each step an agonizing effort. His entire body felt like it had been torn apart, pain flaring up from every cut and bruise, from every spot where the knife had sliced or bullet grazed into him.
His vision blurred as he staggered forward, the sandy shore beneath his feet offering little stability. Each breath he took burned in his chest, and every muscle screamed at him to stop, to collapse right there on the water's edge.
His legs gave out under him as he reached the shore, and he fell in the wet sand. The world around him was spinning, the stillness of the lake mocking the chaos inside his mind. Water was soaking his clothes, mixing with the blood bleeding from his wounds. There was hard, insistent ache in his chest where Walker had shot him.
Alex rolled on his back, bringing a hand to his chest, feeling the bruise forming beneath his shirt, the place where the bullet had slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. He could still hear the echo of the gunshot in his mind, the feel of cold steel against his skin as Walker tried to finish him off with that knife, the water rushing into his nose, ears and mouth as he was drowning. He shuddered, his fingers curling into fists as the memories played over and over in his head.
But he had done it. Somehow, he had survived.
Despite it, the relief didn't come.
Instead, all Alex felt was an emptiness, a hollow, aching void inside of him. He had let Walker drown. He hadn't tried to save him. And part of him knew that he never would have. Not after everything. Still, there was a heaviness in his chest, a part of him that wondered if he could have done something differently. The guilt of killing Petrov and Quinn came crashing like a tide all over him again. So much blood in his hands. So many dead, because of his actions. Alex took a shuddering breath, tears falling from the corners of his eyes, rolling onto the wet ground beneath him.
He lay on the ground, the sand cool against his body, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps and he stared up at the night sky and let the tears fall freely. The stars above him blurred and the exhaustion took over, his body finally giving in to the toll of the fight—or blood loss. He wasn't sure anymore. His vision started to dim, his eyelids growing heavier with each passing second.
It's over, he told himself, but the thought felt distant, disconnected. He was so tired, so unbelievably tired. He could just fall asleep here and wait for somebody to find him. Friend or enemy, Alex didn't care. He didn't have it in him anymore to put up a fight. It was up to faith now. Alex's eyes started to flutter shut.
But then, at the very edge of his vision, he saw a movement. Two shapes cutting through the darkness, moving towards him. His heart stuttered as he struggled to focus. His pulse quickened, his body tensed, but then he realized who they were—SAS.
They were here. He was safe. His mind clung to that thought, repeating it like a mantra as his vision swam in and out of focus.
"Alex!" A voice shouted. It was distantly familiar, but Alex couldn't quite place it.
Alex's lips parted to respond, but no sound came out. He could feel his body starting to go limp as everything around him slowly faded to black.
Alex shut his eyes and finally, he let go.
Falcon's heart raced as he and Lynx sprinted towards the lake. He had finally recognized the figure as Alex Rider, one of the school kids that went missing. Falcon called out to him but got no response. When they reached him, Falcon knelt beside the body, his heart pounding in his chest.
He reached out to press his fingers against Alex's neck to check for pulse. He saw the dark bruising around the boy's neck and the bleeding wound on another side of it. Falcon swallowed hard and finally he felt it. A heartbeat. Alex was alive, but his pulse was weak, his eyes were shut and he was breathing with shallow, laboured breaths.
"Okay, okay. We got you," Falcon muttered, still a bit shaken by the sudden appearance of a teenager. He tried to keep his voice steady as he looked at the unconscious boy. "Alex, can you hear me? Alex?"
But Alex remained silent, lying motionless on the sand. His body looked battered, there was blood dripping from multiple wounds and he was soaked from the water. Falcon's mind was racing with questions—what the hell had happened here? They had been told that all the kids were out of the area, that only the missing soldiers remained. Yet here was this boy, beaten half to death, alone in the middle of the chaos.
Lynx knelt beside Falcon without a word, his movements quick and efficient. He immediately started to assess Alex's injuries, inspecting the cuts, bruises, and bullet grazes.
"I'll radio this in", Falcon said, standing up and stepping back for a moment, trying to process it all. Lynx nodded, already working on stabilizing Alex's wounds. His hands moved quickly, applying pressure to the deeper cuts while his other hand searched through his med kit. Falcon reached for his radio and pressed the button to send a signal.
"Falcon to command," he called in. "We've found one of the school kids, Alex Rider, by the lake. He's unconscious, injured badly. Requesting immediate medical evacuation. Over."
Colonel Sanders' voice crackled through the radio almost immediately. "Copy that, Falcon. Medevac is on its way. ETA to your location ten minutes. Status on Rider's injuries?"
Falcon glanced at Lynx, who was now working to bandage the bullet graze on Alex's neck. "He's got bullet grazes on his neck and thigh, deep knife wounds to the arm and side, bruising all over. We saw him emerging from the lake. He's lost a lot of blood, but Lynx is stabilizing him. Over."
There was a pause on the other end before the Colonel's voice came through again. "Copy that. Medical team is on its way. Hold tight. Over."
Falcon lowered the radio looking down at Alex again. Lynx continued to work efficiently, cleaning the wounds and applying pressure where needed, but the seriousness of the situation was clear. The knife cuts were deep, and Alex's face was pale from blood loss.
Lynx lifted Alex's arm to take a look at his side, exposing the deep wound that was covered in blood and sand. He started to clean it gently. "What the hell happened to him?"
Falcon shook his head, unable to give an answer. "No idea. Do you think the other kids were in similar shape?"
Lynx pinched his lips together. "I certainly hope not. I can't believe someone would do something like this…to children."
Lynx lifted Alex's injured foot, unwrapping the wet, makeshift bandages that had been tied around it, exposing the deep purple and almost black colour on the skin.
Falcon's brows furrowed. "I still don't get it. They said the school kids were out of here."
Lynx didn't respond right away, too focused on inspecting the damaged foot. It was definitely fractured, if not broken. Lynx started to wrap it up with clean and dry bandages. The boy was a mess. Falcon looked at Lynx, who was finishing patching up what he could. "He going to make it?"
Lynx nodded, but his face was grim. "He's stable enough, but he needs proper medical care ASAP. The cuts are deep, and he's been losing blood."
Falcon swallowed hard and sat on the ground beside Alex. The two soldiers waited in tense silence, the sounds of the distant battle beginning to die down as the SAS secured the area. Falcon kept his eyes on Alex, the boy's pale face illuminated by the moonlight.
"Hang in there, kid," Falcon muttered under his breath. "You're almost safe now."
The low rumble of the engine vibrated under Sam as he sat in the back of the SAS vehicle, sandwiched between Will and Ellie. The weight of everything that had happened still clung to him, pressing down like a heavy stone in his chest.
He couldn't shake the thoughts of violence they had witnessed away from his mind, Alex being tortured, the moment Alex had struck, snapping a man's neck and killing someone with a knife. Sam hadn't seen it like the others, but his mind was painting vivid pictures about it happening, nonetheless. And then they had been attacked. He found it too hard to believe, that someone had actually tried to shoot them, with guns. But his still trembling hands were proof enough that it had really happened.
It was all too much. All of it replayed in his head on a loop, and he wondered how everyone else was coping. None of them had said much since they had gotten into the vehicle.
Ellie was fidgeting, her eyes darting to the window every few seconds, while Liam, sitting on the other side of her, stared silently ahead.
"Do you think… they'll be okay?" It was Will, who finally broke the silence, his voice soft but laced with worry. His question hung in the air.
Sam glanced at his friend. "Alex will be fine. He has to be. He always said he's handled worse, right?" He sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.
Ellie, still looking out the window, spoke up, her voice shaky and thick with emotions. "I still don't feel like this is real. I can't believe this is real. And Alex…why did he have to stay? I just hope…I hope…I don't want him to get hurt anymore."
Liam remained quiet, but his jaw was clenched, hands balled into fists on his lap. Sam couldn't tell what Liam was thinking, but he knew they were all feeling the same knot of fear.
Henry, sitting in the front passenger seat beside Coyote, glanced back at them. "The soldiers went there to help. I know they'll make sure Alex gets out. That all of them get out," he said, his tone trying to sound reassuring. But Sam could hear the doubt in his voice. Henry tried to smile, but it was thin, almost fragile. "Right now, we need to get you all safe."
Coyote, focused on driving, chimed in, his voice calm but firm. "You saw all those vehicles driving past us. Those are reinforcements and they know what they are doing."
"How long until we get to the camp?" Liam finally spoke, his voice quivering.
"Not long," Coyote replied. "We're almost there."
As they drove on, even more SAS vehicles zipped past them occasionally, heading in the direction of the resort. Sam watched them with a mixture of hope and fear. It felt so unreal.
The minutes stretched out, and the quiet inside the vehicle was only broken by the occasional rumble of the engine or the sound of Ellie tapping her fingers against her knee. Finally, after what felt like forever, the vehicle slowed as they neared the SAS camp.
When they arrived, the camp was bustling with activity. There were soldiers moving around, directing vehicles, setting up equipment, and talking into radios. It was like stepping into a different world.
"We're here," Coyote announced as he pulled the vehicle to a stop. He turned to Henry. "I'll let Colonel Sanders know we've arrived."
Henry nodded, and they all climbed out of the vehicle, standing in the middle of the organized chaos. Coyote spoke briefly into his radio before turning back to them. "He says to get you all checked out at the infirmary. They are expecting you", he said. "Let's go."
As they started to head towards the infirmary, Sam's attention was drawn to the sky. A helicopter was approaching, its blades cutting through the air as it hovered over the camp. It didn't land, but ropes were dropped from the sides, and soon after, soldiers descended, touching down with swift precision.
"Look!" Will pointed. "Are those…?"
Sam's heart jumped as he recognized the members of K-Unit and Ben. Then he saw Viper, Jaguar and Snake descending from the helicopter. But no Alex. The helicopter didn't land and continued its journey out of the area after the soldiers hit the ground. Was Alex still onboard? Where were they taking him? And where was Raven?
Without thinking, Sam broke into a run, followed closely by Ellie, Liam, and Will.
"Hey!" Sam called, his voice cutting through the noise of the camp.
The soldiers turned to face them as they approached, and Sam could see the exhaustion etched into their faces.
"What happened?" Will asked breathlessly as they reached the group. "Where's Alex?"
The soldiers' faces were serious, their eyes betraying the weight of whatever had occurred. Henry caught up with the kids, pulling them back a bit, sensing the heaviness in the air.
"We'll explain everything," Ben initially said, his voice calm but tired. "But not right now. First, infirmary. For all of you." Ben's eyes looked pointedly at Snake, Jaguar and Viper who were standing by his side.
The kids exchanged worried glances and Sam's stomach twisted in knots. He could tell something had happened. Where was Alex?
Alex drifted in and out of consciousness, caught in a fog of pain and confusion. He thought he was awake, his body swaying, earth vibrating under him and a steady thumbing noise hitting his ears. He could hear bits and pieces of conversation. It all sounded distant, muffled, as if he was underwater.
"He's waking up…"
"Hold on."
"Tough kid, this one."
"Make sure he stays stable. We're almost there."
He felt hands moving around him, but he couldn't tell who they belonged to. Were they friend or foe? He tried to focus, tried to pull himself out of the haze, but everything slipped away from him.
The pain throbbed through his body, but it felt far off, like it didn't quite belong to him. Everything was blurry, his vision swimming as he tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt too heavy, and he only managed a peek. The world felt distant, muffled, and hazy, like he was part of it from behind a thick veil of fog. His whole body felt heavy, his limbs sluggish, as if they weren't quite his own.
Then he felt as the world around him started to dim again, voices becoming further away, his body feeling even more numb.
"He's going under again!"
"We're here. Just a little longer."
Alex gasped as he woke again, a surge of panic crashing through him. He was lying down on something. Where was he? He tried to remember what happened—right, the lake…Walker. His heart raced, and he tried to move, but his limbs didn't obey. He had to get away, get to safety. He tried to open his eyes but couldn't, he couldn't see anything. Had something happened to his eyes? Alex's breath grew rapid as he tried to get up.
Suddenly, Alex felt a hand touch him and he jerked by the sudden touch.
They were already here!
Alex tried to yank his arm away, but the hold remained, firm but surprisingly gentle. Still, all Alex felt was fear. Not again. He couldn't do this again. He had to get to safety.
He thought someone called his name, but it felt like the voice came miles away, doing nothing to ease his panicking mind.
Alex weakly struggled against the touch, his body betraying him with each small movement sending sharp jolts of pain through his chest and side. His throat burned as he tried to speak, to shout, but only a weak groan came out.
The hands held him still, but the sensation was too much. In his mind, he was still a prisoner, still fighting to survive. Pain exploded in his side, his head feeling heavy, and the world went dark again.
The next time he drifted to the surface, the room was still, quiet except for the soft beeping of machines. He could feel a soft bed under him, the coolness of the sheets against his skin, the weight of blankets tucked around him. His throat burned, and there was a raw ache in his chest with each shallow breath. But he was too tired to care.
For a moment, he thought he heard someone speak to him, hearing his name, but the voice was hollow, like coming through an echoing tunnel that swallowed up the words and their meaning. He couldn't tell if it was real or just another dream. Alex tried to respond, to open his mouth, but his voice wouldn't work. He wanted to ask where he was, what had happened, but the words wouldn't come.
His body ached all over, sharp pains in his side and his leg, but there was nothing he could do about it. He was too exhausted to move, too tired to even fully open his eyes. He could only lie there, letting the world slip further away.
Time lost all meaning as Alex drifted between the haze of sleep and brief moments of awareness. The memories of what had happened blurred and faded, blending together in fragments that didn't make sense. His mind was too clouded to make sense of it all.
There was a sharp stab of pain again, and then cool hands brushing against his skin, the sensation grounding him for just a moment. Someone was with him. Someone was taking care of him. And as the darkness pulled him under again, Alex hoped that wherever he was, it was safe.
Sam was sitting on the edge of a cot, next to Will, rubbing his hands together anxiously. The camp was bustling with activity, soldiers moving in and out and medics attending to various tasks. Injured soldiers were rolled in, some in better shape than others. There was blood on the floor in the hallway outside their room, and the smell of antiseptics was strong in the air.
The medics had checked them over earlier, saying they were dehydrated and advising them to eat something but otherwise physically okay. Sam had barely touched the food on his tray, though and it had gone cold long ago. The few burns on him from the taser were not major and they would heal soon according to the medic who had checked them. They had offered him some pain meds, but Sam didn't feel like he needed any and had refused. He wasn't hurting. Physically at least. But his mind was racing.
The camp had felt like a world away from the horrors they had just escaped. The soldiers had taken care of them, given them food, water, and a place to rest, but nothing had settled Sam's nerves. They had been told to rest, to try and get some sleep, but sleep had been impossible. Every time Sam closed his eyes, he saw flashes of their time in captivity, the fear and pain, the feeling of helplessness.
Across the room, Liam, and Ellie sat together, exchanging worried glances. They had all tried, again and again, to get information about Alex from Ben, Wolf, or any of the soldiers, but the answers had been vague. No one had told them much of anything, and Sam felt the frustration gnawing at him.
"I can't believe they won't tell us anything," Liam muttered, his foot tapping against the ground. He hadn't stopped fidgeting since they had been brought into the camp.
"Maybe they don't know," Ellie offered, though she didn't sound convinced herself. "I mean, they're probably focused on taking care of him right now."
Liam nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I guess. But I just want to know if he's okay."
Sam glanced at Henry, who sat quietly beside them. The teacher had tried to keep up a calm façade for their sake, but Sam could see the tension in his expression. Henry had been with them the whole time, watching over them, comforting them when they had broken down. But Sam could tell that Henry was just as anxious as they were.
"How are you feeling, Sam?" Henry asked quietly, noticing Sam's faraway look.
Sam shrugged, his voice low. "Fine, I guess. I just... I just want to see Alex. I want to know he's okay."
Henry smiled sadly. "We all do. But we need to be patient. They're doing everything they can, I'm sure."
Sam sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He looked so bad when they brought him in. He didn't even move."
That image had stuck in Sam's mind ever since they had gotten a glimpse of Alex as the soldiers had moved him from the helicopter to the infirmary and it made Sam's stomach twist into knots. When they had left Alex, sure, he was bruised all over and limping but still mobile, still functioning. The Alex that had arrived by the helicopter had been bloody, unconscious and deathly pale.
Suddenly, Ben stepped into the room, looking tired but calm and all their heads snapped in his direction. For a moment, no one spoke, the silence in the room thick with anticipation.
"How is he?" Sam blurted out before anyone else could.
Ben gave a small smile, his eyes softening. "He's going to be okay. He's stable."
The wave of relief that swept over the room was palpable. Sam could feel his heart pound with a mix of emotions and for the first time since they had arrived at the camp, he felt like things would be okay.
Henry exhaled deeply, his shoulders finally relaxing. "Thank God."
Ben was glad he was able to deliver such good news. Even if the guilt about what had happened in the resort still hadn't left him.
"He's woken up a few times which is a good sign. He's still a bit disoriented but the medical team here is confident that he's pulling through. He just needs some rest right now. As do all of you too", Ben said and gave them all a long look.
Ellie let out a shaky laugh, covering her face with her hands as tears welled in her eyes. Will clapped a hand on Sam's shoulder, and for the first time, Liam stopped fidgeting. Sam felt like he could breathe again.
"You're right", Henry said looking at the kids in the room. He couldn't believe it. They had all made it out. They were all going to be okay. Eventually. "We should try to get some rest."
Colonel Sanders sat in his office, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk as he dialled the secure line to MI6. The room was quiet, except for the distant sounds carrying from outside. After a few moments, the call connected, and the familiar voice of Mrs. Jones came through the speaker.
"Colonel Sanders," she greeted, her tone brisk but calm.
"Mrs. Jones," Colonel Sanders began, sitting up straighter in his chair. "I'm reporting that all the missing children and soldiers were found. Including Alex Rider, but he's hurt. He's currently being treated in the camp infirmary."
There was a brief pause on the other end, and Colonel could almost feel Mrs. Jones weighing the information. "How serious are his injuries? Is he conscious?" she asked.
"He's stable. He's come around a couple of times, but he's been disoriented. We had to sedate him once because he managed to pull some stitches while struggling," Sanders replied. "The medical team is taking good care of him, but he's obviously been through a lot. We're also notifying the other kids' parents that they've been found and are safe."
Colonel Sanders held a little pause before asking, "Do you plan to transport Alex to London, to St. Dominic's?"
"Are you able to provide sufficient care in the camp?" Mrs. Jones asked her voice still steady.
Colonel Sanders considered the question for a moment. "Yes," he said. "We can manage his care here. The camp's facilities are equipped to handle his condition as he doesn't need surgery. If Alex stays here, then I'm planning to also keep the other children here a bit longer and invite the parents to come to the camp."
Mrs. Jones was silent for a moment, then she spoke. "If Alex can be treated at the camp, let him stay there for now."
Colonel nodded. "Understood. We'll have the parents come here by tomorrow then. And Alex's guardians?"
"I'll inform them. But they're in America, so I suspect they won't be arriving soon", Mrs. Jones said after moments pause. She sighed softly, the weight of the situation clear in her voice. "I'll be arriving tomorrow as well. I'll bring along OSAs for the children and their parents and a suitable psychiatrist to check on the kids and Alex. After everything they've been through, we need to make sure they're properly debriefed."
"I agree," Colonel Sanders said.
"And Scorpia? What's the status?" Mrs. Jones asked, switching topics with a practiced efficiency.
"The operatives at the base were either killed or captured," Colonel Sanders reported. "We're transporting the captives back to the camp as we speak."
"And the intel?" Mrs. Jones asked, her voice sharpening with interest. "Were you able to gather anything from the base?"
Colonel Sanders leaned forward, a subtle tightness in his grip on the desk. "Yes. Snake, Jaguar, and Viper recovered some documents and electronics. They could hold valuable information. I'll have them delivered to London immediately."
"Good. We'll be expecting them. Thank you, Colonel." Mrs. Jones said.
Her voice carried the same icy professionalism as always and Colonel Sanders couldn't shake the feeling that MI6 had been holding something back. His soldiers had gone into this operation mostly blind, at least to certain critical details. Good men had died because of that.
"Mrs. Jones," Colonel Sanders began, his voice tense but measured. "I have to say, we confronted this situation with very limited information. I can't help but think that your department knew more about what was happening here."
There was a pause. When Mrs. Jones spoke again, her tone was cool. "What makes you say that, Colonel?"
Colonel Sanders clenched his jaw in frustration. "There was considerable amount of Scorpia operatives in this area, it took multiple units to get a hold of the situation and there were serious casualties on both sides. Are trying to tell me that MI6 had no idea about so many enemy operatives on Britain's grounds?"
Mrs. Jones didn't reply to him and Colonel pushed on. "And in addition to that, I wasn't allowed to let my men in on Alex Rider's role in all of this. Certainly, it would've been helpful for them to know that one the kids was former intelligence operative. They thought that all the kids were out of the area since that is what I was told to brief them with."
There was sharp tone in Colonel's voice but the silence on the line continued a little bit longer. Then Mrs. Jones spoke again, keeping her tone level and professional. "The fewer people who know about Alex the better, Colonel. You know that as well as I do. Besides, his position in this wouldn't have made a difference to the outcome."
Colonel Sanders clenched his jaw. "It would have made a difference to my men. We lost good soldiers out there, and they went in without knowing everything. That's not how we operate."
"Alex's past involvement with MI6 was irrelevant in this case. We had to limit exposure to sensitive information. Rider was one of several captives. The loss of your men is unfortunate, Colonel, but that's the reality of operations like this." Mrs. Jones's words had a finality in them.
Her words stung, and Sanders felt a simmering anger, but he held it back. He had a duty to his men, and he had wanted to prepare them fully for what they were walking into. But MI6 had kept secrets, as they always did. And the price had been paid in blood.
"This operation will come under hard scrutiny, you know that", Colonel Sanders said, his voice tight.
"Yes. I am well aware. I'll see you tomorrow, Colonel," Mrs. Jones replied, her tone unchanged. The line went dead.
Colonel Sanders exhaled slowly, staring at the phone. The tension in his shoulders didn't ease. The last few days had been long and tiresome. It was hard to believe that they had ended up in the middle of a whole operation so close to their training site, ending up with casualties. Fatalities came with military operations, but never would he have thought that one could happen in here, in Breacon Beacons. It was hard to accept that his men had died in an operation that could have been handled better with more transparency. And now, he had to prepare for another day of dealing with MI6, that seemed yet again, care more about their secrets than the lives on the ground. He already knew that tomorrow was going to be a long day.
But now, he still had a job to do and with a heavy heart, Colonel Sanders picked up the phone again. There were families to call. Families of the fallen, and families who would soon be reunited with their children. He looked out the window, took a deep breath and started dialling.
